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Driver accused in deadly LoDo hit and run crash charged with vehicular homicide; victim identified

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DENVER – The man accused of running a red light and subsequently hitting and killing a pedestrian in downtown Denver last week was charged Wednesday with felony vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of a crash involving death counts, in addition to other charges.

Jerek Fabjancic, 29, also faces third-degree assault and leaving the scene of an accident misdemeanor charges in addition to the two felony counts.

He is accused of running a red light at 15th Ave. and Blake Street in LoDo on April 5 and hitting a pedestrian who was in the crosswalk at the time, then fleeing the scene.

A Medina Alert was issued after the crash for Fabjancic’s red Toyota truck. A probable cause statement for his arrest says that a detective contacted Fabjancic after he fled and that Fabjancic admitted to driving the truck at the time of the crash.

Fabjancic was arrested on the morning after the crash in Golden. He was originally detained by Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies before he was handed over to Denver police officers.

The victim of the crash was identified Tuesday by the Denver Office of the Medical Examiner as James Steele Jr., 82. He was pronounced dead about 12 hours after he was taken to Denver Health Medical Center. The medical examiner said Steele’s cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries.

Court records show that Fabjancic’s second advisement hearing is set for April 26. He was previously arrested in 2014 by police in Pueblo and pleaded guilty to driving while impaired - careless driving. He had the DUI dismissed and got 18 months of probation.