The snowplow driver involved in a fatal crash that killed the father of a Santa Clarita Lady Flyers player in Colorado in January has been charged in the crash.

Colton Wiedman, 29, faces several charges related to the January crash that killed 38-year-old Manuel Alejandro Lorenzana Villegas of Chatsworth, the father of one of the SC Flyers players, as the team traveled to an out-of-state competition.

38-year-old Manuel Alejandro Lorenzana Villegas (GoFundMe)

After the completion of the Colorado State Patrol’s (CSP) investigation into the crash, Wiedman was charged with the following:

• One count of careless driving causing death
• Four counts of careless driving causing serious bodily injury
• Three counts of careless driving causing bodily injury
• And one count of failure to drive in a designated lane.

Under Colorado law, all counts of careless driving are Class 1 traffic misdemeanors, according to Heidi McCollum, the elected District Attorney of the Fifth Judicial District for the State of Colorado.

The failure to drive in a designated lane is a Class A traffic infraction.

These charges were filed by the CSP, and the district attorney’s office will now review them to determine whether they are appropriate, according to McCollum.

Wiedman’s next court date is scheduled for May 5.

The crash occurred just before 9 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 29, as the team was traveling to Colorado to compete in a weekend tournament with the World Girls Hockey League.

A Colorado Department of Transportation snowplow driven by Wiedman lost control in snowy conditions, crossed the median and struck several vehicles, including a Sprinter van with several passengers aboard.

Manuel Alejandro Lorenzana Villegas, the driver of the van, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Image courtesy of Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office

One child was airlifted to a hospital with critical injuries, while several other children and adults were transported to hospitals for treatment.

Despite the crash that injured several players and family members, and took the life of one of their fathers, the SC Flyers decided to continue their pursuit of greatness.

“It took the Lady Flyers about two hours to decide that they were going to continue and play their league final games,” Steffanie Stelnick, the wife of one of the coaches, told KHTS in a previous story.

SC Lady Flyers homecoming (Sophia Lesseos KHTS)

Short-handed, emotionally drained and grieving, the 12U team battled through the Western Girls Hockey League playoffs and ultimately won the championship in overtime.

When they finally returned home, the Flyers were met with an emotional welcome to their home ice at The Cube.

As players arrived at the ice rink, families, teammates, coaches and community members were already waiting, filling the rink with cheers, hugs and plenty of tears.

Another powerful moment unfolded when it was time to take the ice.

Members of the older SC Flyers girls’ team stood shoulder to shoulder, sticks raised, forming a tunnel as the Lady Flyers skated through to roaring applause from the packed bleachers. Some players gazed up in awe, others held back tears, but all felt the overwhelming support of the SCV community.

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.