Two Army National Guardsmen died Monday in a car accident in Colorado.

Colorado State Patrol says 37-year-old Robert Orta, of Pueblo West, and 32-year-old Arnold Harp, of Colorado Springs, were killed in the four-car crash.

Heather Orta, Robert's wife says she's proud of her husband. She told 11 News, it will be hard with him being gone. "I told the kids, we can go ahead and work on one day at a time, like when daddy was in Afghanistan," Heather said. Her husband had volunteered his services for a tour of duty as part of Opperation Enduring Fredom in 2008.

Heather and Robert have three kids together, Alexis, Rhet and Cade. "No words can describe it," Heather said. "For somebody who is so healthy, and you never get to see again, it's hard."

State troops say the accident happened around 10 p.m. on Colorado 160 near Milepost 275, in Costilla County, about 17 miles east of Ft. Garland. The road was covered with snow and ice when a Dodge Durango, driven by Orta tried to pass a Ford F350, hauling a trailer, on the left. The Durango lost control and struck the driver's side of the trailer being hauled by the Ford.

The Durango ended up broadside into the path of a Freightliner semi-tractor hauling an empty cargo tank that was traveling eastbound. The Freightliner struck the Durango on the passenger's side. The Durango was pushed approximately 41 feet to the east, where it came to rest in the slow lane of eastbound Colorado 160. Alcohol nor drugs are contributing factors in this crash.

State troopers say Orta and his passenger, Arnold Harp were pronounced dead on the scene. Both Orta and Harp were members of Delta Company, 1st of the 157th Infantry Battalion, Army National Guard Unit out of Alamosa. Harp lived in Colorado Springs, while Orta lived in Pueblo West. The two spent most of the workweek together in Alamosa, only spending a few nights a week at home with their families. Both men leave behind wives and children.

11 News has also learned that Orta was a volunteer assistant football coach at Pueblo West High School. Keith Lane, Athletic Director at Pueblo West says Orta was a great man who walked into his office one day and said he wanted to volunteer. Lane says Orta loved football and loved working with the kids. He also says when Orta was called to duty to serve overseas, he was really sad to leave the kids and coaching.