Police identify two women killed in Columbia Interstate 70 crash; truck driver charged with manslaughter

Editor's note: Broomfield's name has been corrected. It was initially spelled incorrectly, due to a source error.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A woman from Tennessee and another from Colorado were killed when a tractor-trailer crossed the median and slammed into a U-Haul on Monday in Columbia.

The Columbia Police Department identified the women Tuesday as Cindy Helms, 54, of Rockwood, Tennessee, and Melvina Colin, 84, of Broomfield, Colorado. Helms was driving eastbound in the U-Haul truck towing a vehicle and Colin was her passenger, CPD says.

The crash involved a tractor-trailer driven by Walter Montejo, 26, of South Gate, California, police say. His vehicle crossed the centerline after a collision in the westbound lanes and hit the U-Haul head-on in the eastbound lanes.

A fire broke out after the collision.

The crash shut down eastbound I-70 and part of westbound I-70 for several hours Monday.

Helms was taken to a hospital where she died. Colin was pronounced dead at the scene. Montejo was hospitalized with moderate injuries. He was in good condition Wednesday afternoon, an MU Health Care spokesperson said.

Manslaughter charges filed

Montejo was charged on Wednesday with two counts of first-degree involuntary manslaughter, one count of second-degree assault and misdemeanor driving while revoked.

A warrant was ordered for his arrest on Wednesday and no bond was set. A court date has not been set.

The probable cause statement says that Montejo’s license was suspended because of an active administrative alcohol suspension. The bond motion filed on Wednesday claims it was suspended because of a DWI case from Jackson County, though charges did not appear on Casenet.

Boone County Prosecutor Roger Johnson said an individual being charged with involuntary manslaughter in a case like this is common. He said the driving while revoked charge wont have a direct effect on the manslaughter charge.

"So, we the allegations is that he shouldn't have been driving in the beginning," Johnson said. "It doesn't directly affect the involuntary manslaughter charge, but it would be something that the judge would take into consideration in sentencing if we were to get to sentencing."

According to the probable cause statement, the Freightliner Cascadia was heading westbound in the passing lane and Montejo failed to maintain a lane and initially hit a BMW, which went off the right side of the road.

Montejo’s vehicle then made a quick movement, went through the concrete barrier and hit a 2017 Toyota Highlander and a 2022 Ram 1500, the statement says. The Ram became airborne and overturned when it landed, the statement says. The driver of the Ram had serious injuries.

The tractor-trailer then hit a 2021 Ford Explorer because colliding with the U-Haul, the statement says.

Witness allegedly told police that they were driving behind the tractor-trailer and BMW and that the freightliner was in the passing lane, the statement says. Montejo allegedly turned on his right turn signal and hit the BMW while trying to get in the driving lane before overcorrecting, court documents say.

Witnesses also stated the driver was driving quickly before the crash occurred, according to court documents.

Montejo has two infractions listed on Casenet. He pleaded guilty on March 3, 2022, to two counts of operating a motor vehicle with defective brakes. He was fined $250. The infractions allegedly occurred on March 14, 2021.

One of the citations claims that Montejo failed to stay within one lane while driving, while another alleges he was speeding by 11-15 miles per hour.

The probable cause statement claims that Montejo is in the United States on a work visa.

US Department of Transportation information shows the truck was registered at a Saline County address and was registered to FDH Trucking, LLC.

Video of the crash has been provided to ABC 17 News and circulated on social media.

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