Four people each suffered multiple fractures Wednesday morning when the Ford Explorer they were in was hit head-on by a box truck that had lost control on ice on U.S. Highway 160, east of Mancos.

Colorado State Patrol Capt. Adrian Driscoll said the occupants of the Ford – Douglas Martinez, 57, of Cortez; his wife, Tary Martinez, 56; and two children ages 8 and 5 – were taken to Mercy Regional Medical Center. Each suffered multiple fractures in the crash, he said.

Tary Martinez was listed in critical condition at Mercy on Wednesday afternoon, and Douglas Martinez had been treated and released, said Sarah Silvernail, a spokeswoman with the hospital. Because of federal law, she could not divulge information about the children.

The driver of the box truck, Donald Mills of Farmington, 29, was cited for careless driving resulting in bodily injury.

Driscoll said neither excessive speed nor alcohol was suspected as contributing factors.

Mills was headed west when the truck slid on ice near mile marker 67 and went into the eastbound lane and hit the Explorer head-on around 7:25 a.m.

Only two vehicles were involved in what was initially reported to be a three-vehicle crash, Driscoll said.

Traffic on U.S. Highway 160 was slowed for about an hour after the crash, but traffic is now flowing normally, he said.

A hazardous materials team was sent to the site of the crash to clean diesel spilled from the box truck, which lost a saddle fuel tank.

parmijo@durangoherald.com