(720) 863-7755The Boulder County District Attorney’s office appears to be struggling to file any charges in a car accident caused by teenage in which two people in another vehicle died.1
Coming under public pressure, Boulder County District Attorney Stan Garnett says he expects his department to disclose one way or another whether charges will be filed in the deadly car crash or not.
“Obviously, with a case like this, I understand the public interest and people wanting to know what’s going to happen and that there is an appropriate law enforcement response,” Garnett said. “But ethically and otherwise, it is best practice to make sure we have all the evidence and we’ve analyzed it to see what the charges should be.”
Details of the Case
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Boulder DA Hesitant to File DUI Charges after Fatal Crash | Boulder DUI Attorney
The Defendant was traveling westbound on Arapahoe Avenue right before midnight on May 7 in a Volkswagen Jetta, when he rear-ended a 2010 Honda Fit that was stopped at red traffic light in the right most lane.
- Two of the Honda Fit occupants were taken in critical condition to Boulder Community Health.
- Both individuals were taken off life support and died a few days after the crash.
- The Defendant’s vehicle also hit a 2008 Dodge Ram that was also stopped at the traffic light.
- The driver of the Dodge Ram didn’t sustain any injuries.
- All of the occupants in all three vehicles were wearing seat belts.
- Police investigation the crash would only identify the defendant as a juvenile male of driving age.
- He was going an estimated 45 m.p.h. and applied only “minimal braking” before making impact.
Why Haven’t Charges Been Filed Yet?
The Boulder DA says investigators are still examining several different components of the crash and criminal aspect of the case. Here’s a list of the reasons for the delay in filing charges:
- Investigators have had to perform extensive reconstruction of crash.
- Investigators have had to perform extensive reconstruction of forensics into whether alcohol played a role.
- Investigators and the DA are also taking into consideration that the defendant is a minor, which always takes longer to make a decision about filing charges.
“We’re dealing with a case with a complex crime scene, probably more complex than people realize,” Garnett said. “We’re doing a fair amount of cellphone investigation, which always takes a while. We’re also doing a fair amount of analysis of bodily fluids to determine if there is evidence of drug or alcohol impairment, and that takes the labs a while.”
Contact a Boulder DUI Attorney at Peter Loyd Weber & Associates
Have you or a loved one been charged with a DUI? If so, an experienced Boulder DUI attorney at Peter Loyd Weber & Associates is ready to immediately start defending you. Dedicated to protecting our clients from unjust and frivolous criminal charges ranging from municipal code violations to felony charges, our Adams County and Boulder DUI attorneys:
- Can guide you through the intricacies and complexities of the criminal justice system
- Have the knowledge necessary to provide you with effective, aggressive legal advocacy
- Are committed to providing each of our clients with personalized care and cost-effective representation.
To talk about your defense and how we can help you, call us today at (720) 863-7755 or email us using the contact form on this page. We offer complimentary consultations, and we take pride in always being available to our clients – 24 hours per day, 7 days per week – so that they have the personal attention their case deserves.
From our offices based in Northglenn, Broomfield and Boulder, we provide the strongest defense and highest quality legal services for our defendants charged with DUI/DUID, or any other vehicle-related crime throughout Weld County, Adams County and the state of Colorado.
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¹”Boulder DA still undecided on charges against teen in crash that killed” published in Daily Camera, May 2016.
