Custer County paramedic killed in crash Saturday near Westcliffe

DENVER (KDVR) — A Custer County paramedic was killed in a two-vehicle, head-on crash on Saturday, according to officials.

Andrew Fernandez, 39, was driving to work at about 8:45 a.m. when it appears he lost control of his Honda Civic, entered the northbound lanes of Highway 69 near milepost 64, which is north of Westcliffe, and began to spin out.

The Colorado State Patrol said his vehicle clipped the front of a Ram 3500 pickup and continued to spin, before stopping on the east side of the highway. The patrol was unable to say as of Sunday if slick roads were a factor in the crash.

All three people involved in the crash were wearing seatbelts, the patrol said, and both passengers of the Ram 3500 sustained minor injuries. The Custer County Sheriff's Office said Sunday a man in the second vehicle was seriously injured and had posted earlier on Saturday that the roadway was wet and slick with melting snow.

"A Custer EMS paramedic, Andrew Fernandez, was killed instantly in the crash," the sheriff's office posted on Facebook. "Andrew was loved by all of his responder family in Custer County. He was a highly experienced paramedic and a valued mentor to his fellow team members."

The Custer County Emergency Medical Services posted to social media on Sunday, calling Fernandez "a top-notch paramedic and an even better human being." The agency remembered his intelligence and warmth and said he boasted over 10 years in his paramedic career.

"He was an amazing person who made a difference in peoples’ lives," the agency said. The group said he is survived by his wife, Justine, and a two-year-old daughter. "Andrew spent his life giving to others and we want to see that his family is taken care of in this tragic situation."

To that end, the agency has started a GoFundMe and an account has been set up at the Kirkpatrick Bank in Westcliffe in Fernandez's memory. All funds will go to Justine.