Crime Wyoming

Fatal Wrong-Way Crash on I-80 in Laramie Under Investigation

Fatal Wrong-Way Crash on I-80 in Laramie Under Investigation
Joy Greenwald / Townsquare Media
  • PublishedFebruary 25, 2025

A 51-year-old Wyoming man died early Friday morning after driving the wrong way on Interstate 80 in Laramie and colliding head-on with a semi-truck, according to the Wyoming Highway Patrol.

The crash occurred at approximately 12:17 a.m. on February 21 near milepost 316.4, close to the Grand Avenue exit. Authorities report that Jose Manuel Aldaz, a Laramie resident, was driving a Subaru Impreza westbound in the eastbound lanes when he collided with a Freightliner truck-tractor combination unit.

The truck driver, who is from Jacksonville, Florida, was not injured in the crash. Aldaz did not survive.

According to the Wyoming Highway Patrol’s crash summary, road conditions were wet, but the weather was clear at the time of the accident. However, the report did not list any potential contributing factors, and it remains unclear whether impairment or other circumstances played a role.

This marks the second fatal wrong-way crash involving a semi on I-80 in Wyoming this year. The incident remains under investigation.

With input from KGAB AM 650.

Joe Yans

Joe Yans is a 25-year-old journalist and interviewer based in Cheyenne, Wyoming. As a local news correspondent and an opinion section interviewer for Wyoming Star, Joe has covered a wide range of critical topics, including the Israel-Palestine war, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the 2024 U.S. presidential election, and the 2025 LA wildfires. Beyond reporting, Joe has conducted in-depth interviews with prominent scholars from top US and international universities, bringing expert perspectives to complex global and domestic issues.