Sunflower Seeds Kill

Investigators: Teen distracted by sunflower seeds prior to trooper death

'ADAMS COUNTY - The district attorney announced formal charges Monday against the 17-year-old driver involved in a car crash that killed a Colorado State Trooper.

Cody Loos was charged with careless driving resulting in death and careless driving resulting in bodily injury. Both charges carry a maximum sentence of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

"We are satisfied that the facts of this case support the charges," said Sgt. John Hahn of the Colorado State Patrol. "These charges are a logical conclusion to this case. Our hope as an organization is that the filing of the charges will help the victims in this case and their families to get closure and resolution."

The North Metro Accident Investigation Team was called in to conduct the investigation because there were law enforcement officers involved in the crash. They say Loos, who was driving a 1994 Ford pickup on I-76, looked down for some sunflower seeds on his console and when he looked back up, traffic was backed up in front of him, leading to the crash.

According to investigators, traffic on I-76 had backed up because 65-year-old Terrance Rice had lost a 2,500 gallon plastic water tank he was towing at about 4:30 p.m. on October 11. Troopers Zach Templeton and Scott Hinshaw had stopped to help load it back onto Rice's trailer, which he was towing with his 1997 Dodge pickup.

Investigators say at about 5 p.m., after the truck and trailer were moved onto the median and the tank had been loaded back on, Loos, distracted by his sunflower seeds, swerved onto the shoulder and then the median to avoid hitting the traffic which had slowed in front of him.

That's when Loos' Ford pickup slammed into the trailer and the two state troopers, authorities say.

Hinshaw suffered fractures to his left fibula and right tibia. He was still wearing his motorcycle helmet when he was struck. Troopers tell 9NEWS Hinshaw is expected to undergo more surgery this week.

Templeton, who arrived in his patrol car and was not wearing a helmet, suffered a broken tibia, broken femur, lacerated spleen and severe head trauma. He was airlifted from the scene, but died the following day.

Rice faces a charge for spilling the load on the highway, which carries a $100 fine.

An investigation of the crash concluded that drugs or alcohol were not factors.'