NEWS

Larimer dad dies driving pregnant wife to hospital

Jason Pohl
jasonpohl@coloradoan.com
A Bellvue man died after rolling the family's SUV while en route to the hospital with his pregnant wife on Jan. 13. The man died, and a medical issue is suspected to have contributed to the wreck. His wife, their two young boys and new baby all survived.

A medical emergency is believed to have caused a Larimer County man to crash his car last week while driving his pregnant wife to the hospital to give birth to the couple's third child.

His wife, sons and newborn baby boy survived. The husband and father of three, however, did not.

Tony Schmucker was driving his wife to the hospital about 1:40 a.m. Wednesday when the black Nissan Pathfinder careened off the road and down an embankment near the intersection of Lodgepole Drive and North Larimer County Road 23 west of Fort Collins, said Alisha Danko, a spokeswoman with Colorado State Patrol. The vehicle rolled and struck a boulder and tree before coming to a rest.

The family's eldest son called 911 after both his parents were left unconscious, Tony Schmucker's brother wrote on a fundraiser webpage that has since been established to support the family.

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Rescuers from Poudre Fire Authority worked to extricate the husband, wife and two minors from the SUV. Poudre Valley Hospital EMS treated and transported the man to PVH, and the woman was flown by Air Link helicopter to Medical Center of the Rockies, Danko said.

Jill Schmucker had an emergency C-section at the hospital, fundraiser organizers wrote. She suffered a broken back in the crash, but her now-three children all survived — she is expected to make a full recovery.

A Bellvue man died after rolling the family's SUV while en route to the hospital with his pregnant wife on Jan. 13. The man died, and a medical issue is suspected to have contributed to the wreck. His wife, their two young boys and new baby all survived.

The 37-year-old man was pronounced dead at the hospital. The Larimer County Coroner's Office has not yet made a ruling on the cause and manner of death, but initial findings suggest a medical event caused the crash, Investigator James MacNaughton told the Coloradoan. Schmucker did not die from traumatic injuries related to the wreck, and the investigation is ongoing.

By mid-afternoon Saturday, nearly $34,000 had been donated, according to the GoFundMe page. To access it, go to www.gofundme.com and search for "Schmucker Family Fund."

"We want to thank everyone that has donated to this campaign," organizers wrote. "You have showed the family that they are loved and have the support of the community."

Reporter Jason Pohl covers breaking news for the Coloradoan. Follow him on Twitter: @pohl_jason. 

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