SAGUACHE COUNTY — Three vehicles, including two Ford pick-up trucks and a semi hauling a trailer, were involved in a collision near the town of Center on May 6, resulting in the death of one of the drivers.

The driver of a Ford F150 was transported to Rio Grande County Hospital in Del Norte where he died because of his injuries. He has since been identified as 64-year-old Jose Saavedra of Center.

According to Capt. Nathan Lyons, public information officer with the Colorado State Patrol, the accident took place at the intersection of Saguache County Road C and Saguache County Road 53.

Shortly after 7 a.m. on Monday, the driver of a Ford F150 out of Center was headed eastbound on CR C. At the same time, the driver of a semi out of Monte Vista was headed southbound on CR 53 while the driver of a Ford F350, also out of Monte Vista, was headed northbound.

Lyons said that CR C has a two-way stop at the intersection with CR 53, but the driver of the Ford F150 did not stop. Although Lyons did not know the speed limit on that specific stretch of CR 53, he guessed it was probably 55 mph.

“Everything happened in the middle of that intersection,” Lyons says. After entering the intersection, the Ford F150 was immediately struck by the semi on the driver’s side followed by the Ford F350 on the rear passenger side.

Upon impact, all three vehicles rotated and “did what they do in a collision like this,” Lyons said.

The identities of the other two drivers have not been released at this time but, according to Lyons, neither one sustained any serious injuries in the collision.

Lyons said the accident will be investigated by the Colorado State Patrol vehicular crimes unit, which does accident reconstructions.

“Sometimes we don’t get all the information we want, but they’ll do an investigation,” he said.

The Colorado State Patrol extends its deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Saavedra.