Update on Laramie Crash: Utah Man Dies, Three Hospitalized

A Utah man died early Monday afternoon in a multi-vehicle crash near Laramie that injured three other men, according to a news release from the Wyoming Highway Patrol on Tuesday.

Annebella, Utah, resident Matthew R. Anderson, 52, died in the crash involving two tractor-trailer combinations and two pickups near milepost 19 on Wyoming Highway 230 south of Laramie.

There, a Ford Superduty pickup driven Laramie resident Steve Bottger, 65, was eastbound, had stopped and was waiting for oncoming traffic to clear to make a left turn onto Tumbleweed Lane.

An eastbound 2000 Peterbilt tractor-trailer combination driven by Anderson was being followed by a 2012 GMC pickup driven by Laramie resident Brandon Chimenti, 37. Both vehicles came up behind the stopped Ford pickup.

Meanwhile, Bayard, Neb., resident William Bennett, 56, was driving a 2015 Peterbilt tractor-trailer combination westbound.

Chimenti pulled out to pass the 2000 Peterbilt, and completed the pass, but did not notice that the Ford pickup was stopped waiting to make a left turn.

Chimenti's GMC pickup collided with the rear of the Ford pickup.

The collision pushed the Ford pickup into the westbound lane and into the path of the 2015 Peterbilt, which resulted in a head-on collision.

This collision caused the 2015 Peterbilt to lose control, enter the eastbound lane, and collide head on with the 2000 Peterbilt.

After this collision, the 2015 Peterbilt tripped and rolled one time.

Anderson, the driver of the 2000 Peterbilt, died at the scene.

Bennett, the driver of the 2015 Peterbilt, and Chimenti, driver of the GMC pickup, were wearing their seat belts.

Bottger, driver of the Ford pickup, was not wearing his seat belt.

The three men were taken to the Ivinson Memorial Hospital in Laramie for treatment of their injuries.

The Wyoming Highway Patrol is investigating driver inattention, unsafe passing, and speed on the part of Chimenti as possible contributing factors in the crash.

This marked the 123rd fatality on Wyoming’s highways in 2019 compared to 86 in 2018, 109 in 2017, and 91 in 2016 to date.