I-70 Pileup Near Georgetown: A Denver Multi-Vehicle Accident Lawyer on the Move Over Law and Your Rights

What happened on I-70 near Georgetown?

Nine people were hurt Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026, in a 10-vehicle crash on eastbound Interstate 70 near Georgetown, according to the Colorado State Patrol (CSP) as reported by 9NEWS. The crash happened around 11:25 a.m. near milepost 228 in Clear Creek County. Three Clear Creek County sheriff’s deputies and Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) crews had responded to a semi that had been on fire and pulled off the highway at a chain station.

CSP Capt. Shane Scovel told 9NEWS that, as deputies and CDOT crews began closing the highway and sending drivers off at the Georgetown exit, a second semi ran into nine other vehicles. CSP’s count is 10 vehicles: three patrol vehicles, two semis and five passenger vehicles. Some early reports described the sequence differently, and CSP is still investigating the cause.

Six people were taken to hospitals, including one who was airlifted from the scene, according to local reports. All three deputies were inside their patrol vehicles when the crash happened. Two deputies were treated for minor injuries and released that afternoon, according to the sheriff’s office. The eastbound lanes reopened around 5:10 p.m., CBS Colorado reported. We wish everyone who was hurt a full and fast recovery.

We will not guess at who caused this crash. That is CSP’s job, and the facts may change as its investigation continues. But it is a sharp reminder of two things every Colorado driver should understand: how the Move Over law works, and what your rights are when one collision turns into many.

How does Colorado’s Move Over law protect people on the shoulder?

Colorado’s Move Over law (C.R.S. 42-4-705) requires drivers to move over a lane, or slow down if they cannot safely change lanes, when passing stopped emergency vehicles, tow trucks and utility trucks with their lights flashing. In August 2023 the law was expanded to cover any stationary vehicle on a highway with its hazard lights on, according to CDOT.

If you cannot move over safely, you must slow down. Where the speed limit is 45 mph or higher, that means at least 20 mph below the limit. Where the limit is lower, it means 25 mph or less.

CDOT and CSP have described it as a key tool for protecting stranded drivers, first responders and road crews, who work just feet from passing traffic. A driver who ignores the law faces a fine and points, and the penalties are heavier when someone is hurt or killed. In an injury claim, breaking a safety law like this one can also be powerful evidence that the driver was negligent.

Why do multi-vehicle crashes happen in the mountains?

Because I-70 west of Denver combines steep grades, sharp curves, heavy truck traffic and fast-changing weather. When a lane is blocked by a disabled vehicle or an emergency scene, traffic can slow suddenly. Drivers who are going too fast for conditions, following too closely, or not paying attention may not be able to stop in time. Drivers must not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and safe for the speed, traffic and road.

Heavy trucks make the stakes higher. A loaded semi can weigh up to 80,000 pounds and needs far more distance to stop than a passenger car, especially on a downhill grade. Once one vehicle is struck, others can be pushed into the vehicles ahead of them, which is why a single impact can involve many cars.

As winter weather arrives, a few habits help:

• Leave extra following distance.
• Slow down well before any flashing lights.
• Move over whenever you can.
• Check COtrip.org for closures and chain-law alerts before heading into the mountains.

What are your legal rights after a multi-vehicle crash in Colorado?

Pileups raise hard questions about who is responsible, because several drivers, and sometimes trucking companies, may share blame. Every insurer involved has a reason to point at someone else. A few Colorado rules matter most.

Comparative fault. You can recover if you were less than 50% at fault. Your award is reduced by your share of fault. At 50% or more, you recover nothing. (C.R.S. § 13-21-111) Insurers know this, and they often try to pin part of the blame on the injured person, for example by claiming you were following too closely.

Each party pays its own share. Colorado generally makes each at-fault party responsible only for its percentage of the harm (C.R.S. 13-21-111.5). A defendant can even shift blame to a person or company that was never sued. That makes it critical to identify every driver and company involved, and to do it early.

Trucking insurance. Interstate trucking companies hauling general freight must carry at least $750,000 in liability coverage, far more than the minimum for a car. (49 C.F.R. § 387.9) The company may also be responsible for its driver’s conduct as well as its own failures in hiring, training and maintenance.

Limited insurance, many claims. Colorado drivers must carry at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per crash for bodily injury, and $15,000 for property damage. Many injuries cost far more, which is why your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage matters. (C.R.S. § 10-4-620) When one policy has to cover many injured people, it can run out fast. Your own uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) and medical payments coverage may fill the gap, so have every policy in your household reviewed.

Deadlines. In Colorado you generally have 3 years from the date of a car, truck or motorcycle crash to file an injury lawsuit. (C.R.S. § 13-80-101(1)(n)) A wrongful death lawsuit in Colorado generally must be filed within 2 years of the date of death. (C.R.S. § 13-80-102(1)(d)) If a city, county, state agency or public employee caused the injury, written notice of the claim must be filed within 182 days of discovering the injury. Miss it and the claim can be lost. (C.R.S. § 24-10-109) Do not wait for a deadline to get close. The evidence that wins these cases can disappear in days or weeks.

Injured on the job. First responders, tow operators and truck drivers hurt while working may have a workers’ compensation claim and, separately, a claim against an at-fault driver.

Because evidence in a chain-reaction crash is spread across many vehicles, reports and witnesses, a Denver multi-vehicle accident lawyer can send preservation letters right away and gather the crash report, the trucks’ electronic logging and engine data, dash camera video and witness statements before they are lost. Our truck accident and car accident pages explain how these claims work.

What should you do if you are hurt in a multi-vehicle crash?

Get to safety and call 911. Stay in your vehicle with your seat belt on if getting out would put you in traffic. Then:

1. Get medical care. Head, neck and internal injuries may not show symptoms right away.
2. Get the CSP case number and the names of the responding troopers or deputies.
3. Collect information from every driver you can, including trucking company names and USDOT numbers on semis.
4. Take photos of every vehicle, the road, the weather, any flashing lights and your injuries. Save your own dash camera video and ask witnesses whether they have any.
5. Be careful with insurers. After a pileup you may hear from several of them. Avoid recorded statements or signing releases until you understand your rights.
6. Talk to a lawyer early so truck data and video can be preserved before they are overwritten.

Should you talk to a Denver multi-vehicle accident lawyer?

If you were injured in a crash involving several vehicles or a semi, it helps to talk to one early. Attorney Mike Zara has spent nearly 20 years representing people hurt by careless drivers and trucking companies across Colorado. We will listen, explain your options in plain language, and help you protect your claim before evidence is lost and important deadlines pass. Consultations are free, and you pay no attorney’s fees unless we recover compensation for you.