The Denver Gazette

TRAFFIC FATALITY

The Denver Gazette

February in Aurora started with the tragic death of a 15-year-old girl after she and another teen were hit by a Jeep Wrangler while crossing the road Wednesday.

A 15-year-old girl died Wednesday after a car hit her and another teen in a crosswalk in Aurora.

The Aurora Police Department said the incident happened at 8:30 p.m. at East Colfax Avenue and Moline Street when the driver of a Jeep Wrangler hit two teens who were crossing against traffic.

The girl was taken to a local hospital where she died. A boy, 15, has serious injuries and police expect him to survive.

Police said the driver of the Jeep had the right-of-way and was not speeding or intoxicated.

The victim’s name was not immediately released.

More than 80 people died from traffic fatalities in Denver last year. Statewide, traffic crashes claimed the lives of 745 people, the most roadway deaths in Colorado since 1981, said transportation officials, who also lamented that fatalities caused by impaired driving also went up.

The traffic fatalities represent a 57% increase from 10 years ago, transportation officials said, noting the deaths include a record number of pedestrians and motorcyclists.

And the sharp rise in fatalities isn’t correlated to Colorado’s population boom, officials said.

“I wish we could correlate the increase in fatalities to Colorado’s population growth. But that’s not the case,” Keith Stefanik, chief engineer for the Colorado Department of Transportation, said. “After falling for 30 years, the rate of crashes has steadily risen during the last decade.”

Stefanik added that, for every fatality, crashes also caused five serious injuries.

Of roughly 750 people killed last year, 36% were outside the vehicle — pedestrians, motorcyclists and bicyclists. Officials said the number of motorcycle and pedestrian fatalities is the most on record since 1975.

“These injuries can leave a devastating lifelong toll on individuals and their families,” he said.

Investigators in the latest Denver crash are asking for any witnesses to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.

The crash occurred at the same intersection where a week ago a car plowed into a bus stop shelter, pinning two people.

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2023-02-03T08:00:00.0000000Z

2023-02-03T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://daily.denvergazette.com/article/281517935268905

The Gazette, Colorado Springs