AURORA, Colo. — A victim was killed after his vehicle was struck by a speeding driver who was trying to evade a traffic stop Thursday afternoon, according to the Aurora Police Department.
The incident began around 2 p.m. Lieutenant Chris Amsler with APD's Traffic Investigations Unit said an APD motorcycle officer was performing speed enforcement on northbound I-225 near Yale when he spotted a white BMW going 84 mph in a 65 mph zone.
The officer pulled out to stop the BMW for speeding, but the driver reportedly did not stop. Amsler said the BMW drove on the left-hand shoulder, then crossed all three lanes of traffic to exit the interstate at Iliff.
The BMW driver was heading eastbound on Iliff when they ran a red light and struck a red Honda Civic that was making a left-hand turn from Blackhawk Street to go westbound on Iliff.
The force of the crash split the Honda Civic in half, according to Amsler. The rear end of the Civic struck a third car that was stopped in the left-hand turn lane to go southbound on Blackhawk, as well as a fourth vehicle that was stopped and waiting to go westbound on Iliff.
The motorcycle officer arrived 30 seconds after the crash and took the BMW's driver and passenger into custody without incident. Amsler said the two were cooperative and were taken to the hospital as a precaution.
The driver and sole occupant of the Honda Civic was pronounced dead at the scene, according to APD. Amsler identified the victim as a "very young man" believed to be in his 20s.
- Watch the full press conference in the video player below
Amsler said crash reconstruction investigators have finished processing the scene.
Eastbound Iliff is closed at I-225, while westbound Iliff is closed at Sable Boulevard. Aurora PD said the roadway will be closed for an extended period of time.
Drivers are asked to avoid the area at this time. Alternate routes include Jewell or Yale.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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