Fatal crash on Highway 120

On Feb. 7 a fatal crash occurred at milepost 5 on Wyoming Highway 120 west of Thermopolis. Around 3:20 p.m., Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers were dispatched to the area for a two-vehicle collision.

A 2014 Ford F-550 was traveling southbound on Highway 120 when a northbound 2011 Honda Pilot attempted to turn into a driveway on the west side of the road, causing both vehicles to collide.

The driver of the Honda Pilot was identified as 37-year-old Thermopolis resident Candis Peterson, who was a U.S. Army veteran who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Peterson was wearing her seatbelt but succumbed to her injuries at the scene of the crash. A juvenile passenger in the Honda was transported to the Hot Springs Memorial Hospital for injuries sustained in the crash.

The driver of the Ford was identified as 61-year-old Billings, Montana resident Larry Houlihan, who was also wearing his seatbelt but was transported to the Hot Springs Memorial Hospital for injuries sustained from the crash.

Driver inattention is being investigated on the part of Peterson as contributing factors.

According to information from the WHP, this is the 16th fatality accident on Wyoming's highways in 2019 compared to eight in 2018, nine in 2017, and six in 2016 to date.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help Peterson's family at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/candis-peterson-memorial-fund