Man arrested in bizarre I-25 crash

One man is in critical condition at Memorial Hospital and another man was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol after a bizarre chase and crash on Interstate 25 early Monday.

Authorities say more charges are possible as the investigation proceeds into the 2 a.m. crash that caused two sport utility vehicles to roll over.

Police described the crash as "chaotic," with vehicles leaving the scene and three passengers of one SUV sprinting into nearby trees when emergency personnel arrived.

Colorado Springs police say a white Ford SUV driven by 18-year-old Juan Carlos Vasquez-Garino was going about 85 mph south on I-25 when it slammed into a black Jeep SUV on the exit ramp to the Martin Luther King U.S. Highway 24 bypass. Vasquez-Garino was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

The force of the impact caused both SUVs to roll over into a grassy area next to the ramp.

The eastbound lanes of the bypass were closed for several hours into the morning rush hour during the investigation and cleanup.

Both occupants of the Jeep, driven by 24-year-old Alvaro Rodriguez-Hernandez, suffered serious injuries.

"The driver suffered a broken arm or wrist," said detective Daniel Smoker. "The passenger is in critical condition with head trauma at Memorial Hospital."

The passenger's name wasn't released.

The occupants of both SUVs had been at a party at Mr. Bigg's Family Fun Center, near I-25 and Woodmen Road on the city's north end, when a large fight broke out in the parking lot, Smoker said.

Both SUVs were seen speeding down I-25 afterward. But Smoker discounted original police reports linking the brawl to the wreck.

Smoker says he believes Vasquez-Garino and his two passengers were chasing someone, but not necessarily the Jeep.

"You know cops, nothing is a coincidence," Smoker said. "But there is no evidence to support it was anything more than a coincidence. I think they were trying to catch up with someone. And they caught someone traveling a lot slower than they were. I don't believe it was intentional."

Smoker said police want to know where Vasquez-Garino got alcohol and he wants to find a third, blue vehicle seen leaving the site.