Entire Family, Including Three Young Children, Killed in Wrong-Way Highway Crash

A tragic wrong-way crash on a Colorado highway early Monday morning claimed the lives of an entire family, including three young children aged 2, 5, and 12. The family, traveling in a GMC Yukon SUV, was heading southbound on Highway 9 near mile marker 136 shortly after 7 a.m. when a Ford F-150 pickup truck crossed over from the northbound lane and struck their vehicle head-on. The collision caused both vehicles to erupt in flames.

All five members of the Cabral-Banuelos family were pronounced dead at the scene despite efforts by first responders. The victims were identified as 2-year-old Andres Cabral-Banuelos, 5-year-old Manuel Cabral-Banuelos, 12-year-old Maria Cabral-Banuelos, 30-year-old Andrea Banuelos-Salazar, and 34-year-old Manuel Cabral-Torres. Authorities confirmed the driver of the Ford F-150, a 25-year-old man, survived with life-threatening injuries and was taken to a hospital.

The Grand County Coroner’s Office issued a statement calling the incident “an unspeakable tragedy” and extended condolences to those mourning the loss. The family resided in Kremmling, Colorado, a close-knit community about 100 miles from Denver, now reeling from the loss.

Relatives described Manuel Cabral-Torres as a dedicated father who cherished time with his loved ones. “In a moment’s time, all five of them are gone,” said cousin Javier Torres-Garcia. “Just one person alone is tough on a lot of people, but five — it’s just so hard. Manny was a great dude. His kids were very young. He’s going to be missed by a lot of people.”

A fundraiser has been set up to assist with funeral expenses and to help bring the family members home. Organizers are calling for community support to honor the memory of the family.

According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, there had been 278 traffic-related deaths in the state as of early July—down from 307 at the same time last year.