4 Colorado Springs residents die in Wyoming head-on crash

Ed Rudolph and his wife, Gwen, planned to attend a wedding in Wyoming, and figured they’d make a road trip out of it.

According to their longtime friend Chuck Murphy, they took one route on the way, and chose a different road on their way home to Colorado Springs on Sunday for a change of scenery.

Colorado Springs residents Daniel Wahlen and his girlfriend, Dani Elenga, were also on that road Sunday, taking a business trip for his auto upholstery shop.

In a freakish twist of fate, Wahlen’s car collided head-on with the Rudolphs’ car, and the four lost their lives on a remote stretch of Wyoming highway, 500 miles from home.

“To be several hundred miles away from their hometown, to have a collision like that is incredibly odd and rare,” said Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper Brandon Deckert, who investigated the accident.

Officials said Wahlen, 52, was driving a GMC Suburban north on U.S. Highway 191, near Boulder, Wyo., when he swerved to avoid hitting a deer at about 1:30 p.m. Sunday. After hitting the deer, the SUV went into the southbound lane and hit the Rudolphs’ 2005 Acura.

Ed Rudolph, 67, and his 66-year-old wife died instantly, police said. Wahlen also died at the scene. Elenga, 47, died as she was flown to an Idaho hospital.

Ed Rudolph was a prominent developer and champion speedskater who was married to Gwen for 44 years.

Wahlen was an auto buff who loved restoring old cars. He owned the Muscle Car Cafe, where he did interior upholstery and specialized in restoring upholstery on classic cars. His sister, Catherine Stanley, said he was planning to add a truck to his business so he could do mobile upholstery work.

His shop also gave him an avenue to help people in need of work.

“He loved to help people in his shop,” Stanley said. “Even if it meant going without, he would give that guy a job.”

Stanley, said he was either picking up or delivering a car for his business when the crash occurred.

An Army brat, he was born in France, came to Colorado Springs in 1969 and graduated from Harrison High School. He had seven siblings and four children, including a 19-year-old he raised alone, Stanley said.

Stanley said Wahlen and Elenga had been going out for about two years, and she went along for the ride.