Not everyone remains at the scene of a Colorado crash even when someone else suffers serious or deadly injuries. When a driver does flee the scene, it could take a substantial amount of time for police to locate the vehicle and driver involved. Fortunately, the public can sometimes provide invaluable assistance in finding the drivers and vehicles involved in all types of crashes, including auto vs. pedestrian accidents.
Sometime prior to 6:40 a.m. on a recent Saturday morning, a woman was involved in a crash involving two vehicles. As she crossed the street in order to speak with the other driver involved, a third vehicle struck her and left the scene. Emergency personnel arrived and took the woman to a hospital in the area, but her injuries were too severe. She passed away at the hospital sometime after her arrival.
Police appealed to the public for assistance after finding an image of the vehicle believed to have been involved on a surveillance camera in the area. Within an hour of alerting the public of its search for the suspect vehicle, the black Nissan Altima was located. Police did not release any information about the individual thought to be driving it.
As is the case in other fatal auto vs. pedestrian accidents, state law allows people to seek damages incurred as a result of such tragedies. If police in the Colorado city of Aurora confirm the identity of the vehicle and its driver, it could provide the victim’s family an avenue from which to pursue restitution for their financial and other losses in a civil court. Sometimes, families may not otherwise achieve closure or justice without the police discovering this information.