JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — Driver fatigue is being blamed on a highway fatality south of Thayne early Friday morning.
According to Wyoming highway Patrol, Thomas J. Avila, 37, of Afton, was driving a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado heading south on Highway 89 when he failed to negotiate a curve to the right. The vehicle drifted off the left side of the roadway before Avila overcorrected to the right. The vehicle crossed back over the lanes of Highway 89 before leaving the right side of the road and overturning.
Authorities were called to the scene at milepost 96.5 on Highway 89 at 1:28am.
Driver fatigue is being investigated as a potential contributing factor. Avila was not wearing a seatbelt and was transported to Star Valley Medical Clinic, where he succumbed to his injuries from the crash.
This is the 94th fatality on Wyoming’s roadways in 2021 compared to 114 in 2020, 132 in 2019, and 98 in 2018 to date.
