CENTENNIAL, Colo. — Arapahoe County jurors convicted a 31-year-old man of vehicular homicide and reckless driving for a 2024 Aurora crash that killed a 71-year-old woman and severely injured her husband, the district attorney for the 18th Judicial District announced Tuesday.
Taylor Marcus Douglas is facing a maximum six years in prison when he is sentenced on January 16.
The crash occurred around 3:30 p.m. on April 15, 2024, at the intersection of S. Chambers Road and E. Center Avenue. Investigators found, using data from Douglas’ vehicle, that he was driving nearly 100 mph in a 40 mph zone before t boning the couple’s SUV as they left a dialysis center.
Douglas, driving a Nissan Altima, initially told police he was going only 55 mph and was unable to stop in time. However, witnesses reported the Altima was weaving through traffic moments before impact.
“This tragedy was entirely preventable,” Chief Deputy District Attorney Brian Eckhardt said in a press release. “Mr. Douglas chose to drive at nearly 100 miles per hour on a busy Aurora roadway, and that reckless decision cost an innocent woman her life and left her husband with devastating injuries. Our community deserves accountability, and this verdict reflects the jury’s careful consideration of the evidence and the harm caused.”
Padden also voiced support for harsher penalties in vehicular homicide cases.
“Every victim and every grieving family deserves a justice system that treats vehicular homicide cases with the gravity it warrants,” Padden said in the release. “My office continues to have productive conversations with legislators to pursue reforms that hold offenders fully accountable for these preventable tragedies.”
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.