The crash that took the life of a Colorado state senator on the eve of Thanksgiving was one of two separate crashes that took place in close proximity, not a single five-vehicle crash as was initially reported, the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office clarified Monday.
The sheriff’s office warned that it expected the “detailed and complex” investigation into the crashes to take weeks to complete.
State Sen. Faith Winter was involved in a three-car crash near I-25 and Dry Creek Road at around 6 p.m. on Nov. 26. Another crash nearby involved two other vehicles.
Two people were injured in each crash and were taken to the hospital, including Winter, who later died.
The sheriff’s office said it was conducting a full accident reconstruction to piece together what happened that night.
“The process is detailed and complex, particularly when injuries or fatalities occur, or when multiple vehicles, commercial vehicles, potential criminal charges, or unclear circumstances are involved,” the sheriff’s office said in an update Monday. “Investigators are actively interviewing drivers, passengers, and witnesses, and the analysis may take several weeks or longer to determine how and why the crash occurred.”
They’re asking for the public’s help in completing that investigation. Anyone with information about either of the crashes that evening is asked to reach out to Deputy Benjamin Sears at bsears@arapahoegov.com.
In interviews with Denver7 the day after Winter's death, her colleagues remembered her as a "small but mighty" public servant who was both inspiring and deeply dedicated to her work. Read more of their tributes here.