Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect that the passenger next to the driver in the rollover accident was a male, not a female.

A pair of young adults were killed on Cottonwood Pass in Eagle County last week after their vehicle rolled down a steep embankment at milepost 12.5.

The accident is estimated to have occurred at about 9:30 p.m. on Nov. 9.

Colorado State Patrol responded to the scene the next morning when the vehicle, a Nissan Pathfinder, was discovered at the bottom of the embankment by a passerby who alerted authorities.

Colorado State Patrol Master Trooper Gary Cutler said both parties in the vehicle — driver Alyssa Gallegos and a 28-year-old male passenger — appeared to have died at the scene.

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Neither party was wearing a seatbelt, Cutler said, and both parties were ejected from the vehicle. They were headed in the eastbound direction and veered off the right side of the road before rolling down the embankment, Cutler said. No other vehicles are suspected to have been involved.

Cottonwood Pass is a popular alternative to Glenwood Canyon for motorists traveling between Eagle and Garfield counties, but steep grades, hairpin turns and narrow stretches of roadway can make the pass especially dangerous.

Options have been explored in recent years to improve safety on the pass, but with road improvements will come increased traffic and the possibility of more incidents, local residents fear.

At an open house on the topic in Gypsum in March, Gypsum resident Ezra Velez said he worries about added traffic and the potential for possible accidents with the many local youths who use the road for fun.

A GoFundMe account has been set up by Gallegos’ cousin, Brittany Lopez.

“With great tragedy comes great heartache, and the last thing I want her family to have to worry about is money,” Lopez wrote. “Unexpected loss equals unexpected finances, and I want to try to help them any possible way! If you can help donate, it’s very much appreciated. If all you can do is send prayers, love, and light their way, that’s just as appreciated by us all.”