Joseph A. Ynostroza

Trooper Ynostroza died in a head-on collision with a semi-tanker truck East of Alamosa on Highway 160. His Patrol car drifted across the roadway striking the rear wheels of an Eastbound gasoline tanker. Investigators believe Ynostroza fell asleep at the wheel while en route to his home in Cortez after attending a Drug Recognition Training class in Denver. Ynostroza was wearing his seatbelt, and the air bag in the Patrol car deployed at the time of collision. In this paticular case, the safety equipment proved inadequate because of the tremendous force of the collision. Trooper Ynostroza died on December 6, 1989.