AURORA, Colo. — After surviving a hit-and-run while crossing S. Peoria Street, Aurora resident Tom Anderson is urging the city to take stronger steps to protect pedestrians in a corridor now marked by repeated crashes and rising fatalities.
A simple walk to the park is something Anderson no longer takes for granted.
Anderson lives near Utah Park, a family-centric neighborhood with walking trails and recreational activities.
“Lots of people like to go on morning walks,” said Anderson.
Until recently, Anderson said he had generally felt safe crossing S. Peoria Street to reach the park.
“It has the noise and everything for the signal, and I felt like it was what it needed to be,” he said.
But that all changed in early November when Anderson became the victim of a hit-and-run.
On the night of the incident in early November, he was headed to Utah Park to cast his vote at the ballot drop box.
As he crossed east on S. Peoria Street, he was struck by a vehicle turning at the green light from E. Mexico Avenue, headed southbound on Peoria.
The driver didn't stop. Anderson was left concussed and severely bruised in the middle of the road.
“I'm happy to be here still, and I got lucky,” he said. “I'm very grateful for several people [that] did stop to help and make sure I was OK.”
The dangers at this intersection emerged earlier. On October 30, just days before Anderson was hit, a vehicle struck a man and woman in the same way at the same place, leaving both with life-threatening injuries. That driver stayed at the scene and cooperated with investigators.
#APDTrafficAlert: All lanes of South Peoria Street are closed between Florida and Jewell avenues for a vehicle versus pedestrian crash with serious injuries. Two pedestrians have been taken to local hospitals with life-threatening injuries. The driver remained on scene and is… pic.twitter.com/Jtr6eHlrow
— Aurora Police Dept (@AuroraPD) October 30, 2025
A few weeks after Anderson’s hit-and-run, a 28-year-old man died. A speeding driver had run a red light and crashed into his car at S. Peoria Street and E. Jewell Avenue, just one block south.
Taken together, these incidents form a pattern Anderson finds troubling.
“It's a high traffic area, and I think people don't really realize how much is happening, how many people are coming across,” he said.
The Aurora Police Department will begin issuing photo speed enforcement citations on Wednesday.
It has deployed two mobile speed cameras, which will be moved periodically based on traffic safety risks, traffic data, and public feedback, APD said.
The City of Aurora says this comes after several years of rising crashes and traffic fatalities. In 2024, there were 7,561 crashes in Aurora, and 50 people were killed on city roadways.
Still, despite these measures, Anderson says the city should consider more comprehensive efforts to make it safer for everyone.
“If they could do a bit more, maybe some of those flashing crosswalk signs, or some extra illumination, or even that the green light doesn't go when people are crossing,” he said.
Solutions, he says, that will let his neighbors enjoy simple morning walks for years to come.
“This is our community, and this is our area, and we need to safeguard that by being careful,” said Anderson.
