Fatal Head-On Collision Reported Outside Thermopolis
Written by Andrew-Rossi on June 22, 2021
One man is dead and another injured after two vehicles collided on WY Highway 20 just south of Thermopolis – the state’s 41st highway fatality in 2021.
The latest fatality on a Wyoming highway occurred near Thermopolis.
According to the Wyoming Highway Patrol, the crash occurred around 5:45 p.m. on Friday, June 18. A Ford pickup truck was heading towards the Wind River Canyon when it attempted to pass another vehicle.
Once the truck entered the opposite lane, it headed directly for a Mercury being driven heading towards Thermopolis. The pickup’s driver attempted to swerve onto the northbound shoulder of Highway 20, but it was too late.
The two vehicles hit each other head-on. As a result, the driver of the Mercury died of the injuries sustained in the crash. The pickup truck driver was treated for injuries at Hot Springs Health in Thermopolis.
The driver of the Mercury was 73-year-old Patrick Moore. Moore – who died at the scene of the crash – was a Wyoming resident living in Dubois.
The pickup truck’s driver was 48-year-old Douglas Wallage of Shoshoni. According to K2 Radio, Wallage has been issued a citation for the incident.
No possible contributing factors are listed for the June 18 crash. The Wyoming Highway Patrol has launched an investigation into the incident.
This is the 41st fatality on Wyoming’s roadways in 2021 compared to 42 in 2020, 45 in 2019, and 22 in 2018 to date.
For more information on this tragic vehicle collision, visit the Wyoming Highway Patrol’s Fatality Crash Summary.
