JACKSON — The Sublette County community is mourning the loss of one of its own after resident Shane Copeland, 31, was killed in a Feb. 16 crash that involved two vehicles, a Ford F-550 pickup truck and a Wyoming Department of Transportation 2014 Mack plow truck.

The crash occurred around 3:30 a.m. Friday at milepost 151 on US Highway 89, a quarter of a mile south of the town of Jackson. The WYDOT plow was traveling at around 25 mph southbound on U.S. 89 conducting plowing operations when the F-550 operated by Copeland began traveling northbound in the southbound lane. The plow operator made an evasive turn trying to avoid the pickup truck, but the two vehicles collided.

A second WYDOT vehicle had just left the WYDOT yard moments before and was traveling northbound on US 89 and witnessed the collision. Fire and EMS personnel responded to extricate the Copeland from the damaged F-550. Despite their best efforts, the Big Piney resident succumbed to his injuries at the scene.

The driver of the WYDOT plow was wearing their seatbelt and suffered physical minor injuries, and was treated at the scene and released. US 89 in both directions near the crash was closed for two hours while troopers conducted an investigation and cleaned up the wreckage.

Driver fatigue is being investigated as a possible contributing factor to the crash.

See page A6 of the Feb. 22 Pinedale Roundup for Copeland's obituary and details about the planned service.