UPDATE, 10:34 a.m.
A biker was killed by a hit-and-run accident at the corner of Evans Avenue and University Boulevard last night, according to reports by the Denver Post and Fox 31 this morning.
Further information about the identity of the victim and time of death are not yet available.
The police are still in pursuit of the driver of the vehicle that caused the hit-and-run, according to the Fox 31 article by David Mitchell and Chris Jose.
ORIGINAL STORY
An adult male biker was injured in a hit-and-run accident at the corner of University Boulevard and Evans Avenue at 8:40 p.m. on Thursday night and transported to Denver Health in critical condition.
The identity of the victim, including if he was a DU student, has not been confirmed at this time. Several bystanders, including Leah Dennison, a waitress at Pete’s University CafCB) who saw the victim, said he appeared to be in his “early to mid-twenties.”
The driver of the vehicle reportedly ran a red light heading eastbound on Evans Ave. and hit the victim at an estimated speed of 65 miles per hour, propelling him an estimated 75-100 feet down Evans Avenue toward Josephine Street, according to Brian Conover, Sergeant with the Traffic Investigations Bureau at the Denver Police Department (DPD).
Conover said the vehicle, a dark red Jeep Cherokee made in the early 2000s with tinted windows and possibly a brush guard on the bumper, fled the scene of the crime before the driver could be identified. The driver has not been found.
The current condition of the victim has not been confirmed. According to a 2003 guide from the the American Hospital Association website, www.aha.org, “critical” condition indicates that “vital signs are unstable and not within normal limits; patient may be unconscious; indicators are unfavorable.”
“The Traffic Investigations unit is usually called out specifically for traffic-related incidents that are fatal or serious, where someone might die,” said Conover.
According to Conover, the Traffic Investigations unit is not frequently called to the intersection of Evans Ave. and University Blvd.
Conover said that although the victim was biking alone, several pedestrians crossing with him that were not injured during the accident were able to provide the officers with information about the victim. DPD is currently waiting to hear from the victim’s family for further details before releasing his identity, said Conover.
Dennison, who heard the accident occur outside Pete’s University Cafe during her shift and called 911, described it afterward as a “sickening sound.”
“I heard a noise that sounded like a car hitting a brick wall,” said Dennison. ” I know that intersection, and I knew that that was not normal – something bad had happened, someone was hurt.”
Dennison, who had training as a first responder and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) during her undergraduate years at Metro State College in 2003, went out to the scene to bring water to the bystanders and witnessed the aftermath.
“I could tell [the biker] hit the car by the bar behind TFC bank [Jordan’s] and his shoes and socks came off,” said Dennison. “There was blood around his head, but a lady was helping to stabilize him and make sure his head didn’t move and she seemed to know what she was doing. I just kept talking to him, telling him it would be ok.”
Tanya Nathan, a DU senior majoring in International Studies and Political Science, arrived at the scene as the ambulance took the victim away, and spoke with witnesses who described the victim as in “bad shape.”
“A lot of people in the bar [South Philly Cheese Steak] got upset, ” said Nathan. “The description [of the biker] was just a ‘scrawny biker,’ so we all thought it was someone we might know.”
However, Nathan said that she does not know who the victim was.
“I hope whoever is responsible for this gets caught,” said Nathan.
Nathan and Dennison both said they were “hoping for the best.”
“I have no idea who it was. But it was someone in our community, so it is something to worry about whether we knew him or not,” said Nathan. “We are all graduating right now, and this is just a reminder of how precious time is.”
The accident closed the block of Evans Avenue between University Boulevard and Josephine Street from 8:40 p.m.- 11:06 p.m. on Thursday night. University Boulevard was restricted to one lane of traffic directed by DPD officers.
There were nine police cars at the scene, and the restricted area included markers of the incident and a white tennis shoe.
Dennison expressed concerns on the safety of the intersection in the future.
“It’s really dark in that corner – nothing but the green [traffic] lights. Someone should make sure this intersection is well-lit and that all the cameras are working,” said Dennison. “This has been traumatic for the whole neighborhood.”
The Clarion will release more information about the identity of the victim and driver as it is available.
Editor’s note: This story was updated to reflect information from reports about the death of the victim.
