Newlyweds die in accident days after wedding when semi-trailer overturns on Colorado highway

A joyful season took a tragic turn when a newlywed couple died in a fatal accident on Interstate 70 in Colorado just days after their wedding.

On Thursday, August 15, Ruben Rodriguez and Juliana Rodriguez-Plata were driving with their one-year-old son and Juliana's parents just before 8:30 a.m. when an eastbound semi-trailer overturned, scattering pipes across the highway and crashing into their car.

Wheat Ridge police said the order of this series of incidents is still unclear, but that at some point during the crash, the tractor-trailer's load became lost and spilled across the westbound lanes.

Family members identified the couple on a GoFundMe page and also confirmed that Juliana Rodriguez-Plata's mother died in the crash.

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“Today was one of the hardest days we have ever experienced. We are deeply saddened to announce that Ruben Rodriguez, Juliana Rodriguez Plata and Luz Melba Martinez were taken from us in a tragic accident,” Janell Rodriguez wrote in a post. “Ruben and Juliana had just begun their beautiful journey together after celebrating their wedding last Saturday. They leave behind their beloved one-year-old son, Daniel.”

Luz Melba Martinez and Juliana's father Carlos were visiting from Colombia to celebrate the wedding, Rodriguez's post said.

“Now Carlos must endure the unimaginable pain of losing both his daughter and his wife in such a short period of time,” she continued.

Plata told Fox 31 he was in the vehicle and instantly lost his daughter, son-in-law and wife.

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Wheat Ridge police are investigating a fatal car crash that killed a newlywed couple and the bride's mother. (Wheat Ridge Police Department)

“I saw when the pipes burst, so I just closed my eyes and didn't react. I just felt the impact and woke up out of nowhere and just saw the baby crying and everyone unconscious, they didn't wake up,” he said. “It was horrible, the accident, the image, all the blood. They were dead instantly. I saw my whole family, my daughter and my wife dead.”

The couple leaves behind a 1-year-old son, whose birthday they celebrated on Sunday, just one day after they married, Fox 32 reported.

Juliana's niece and nephew, Tony and Esli Rodriguez, told Fox 32 they are still in shock.

“It's not clear to me yet, but when I think about it, I just want to cry because he was happy, he met her and had a child. I've never seen him so happy,” said Esli Rodriguez.

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Ruben Rodriguez and Juliana Rodriguez-Plata died in a tragic highway accident a few days after their wedding in Colorado. (FOX 32)

According to police, the debris spilling out of the semi-truck stretched across both lanes of I-70 and was larger than two football fields. Officials added that nearly 100 large blue plastic tubes, each weighing about 500 pounds, were also scattered across the road.

According to police, at least seven vehicles were involved in the series of accidents, including the semi-trailer truck.

“While we understand that people want answers, this is an incredibly complex investigation that will take weeks, not days. We are working with our partners at the Colorado Attorney General's Office on possible charges,” police said in a statement on social media.

Police added that they are still in the very early stages of an active investigation and are working hard to gather all the facts and evidence in this case.

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“Our deepest sympathies go out to the families affected by the tragic loss of life yesterday. They have the full support of our department and our partners at VOI (Victim Outreach Incorporated),” police said.

Police are asking anyone who witnessed this accident to contact their department and the Crash and Traffic Team (CATT) at (303) 235-2933.