DUI suspected in fatal Saturday night bike wreck in south Glenwood Springs
A vehicle collision with a bicyclist at 27th Street and South Glen Avenue became fatal just before midnight on Saturday night in Glenwood Springs. Law enforcement officials are still investigating the crash.
Glenwood Springs Police Chief Terry Wilson said the 54-year-old male biker was pronounced dead at Valley View Hospital as doctors were trying to have him transferred to Denver.
He added that the driver of the vehicle, Glenwood Springs resident Julie Broze, 50, was cited on multiple charges including DUI and vehicular homicide.
The collision occurred at the intersection of South Glen Avenue (Colorado Highway 82) and 27th Street. Dash cam footage and eyewitness accounts appear to confirm that the bicyclist crossed the intersection heading east in the crosswalk against the traffic light, when cross traffic had the green light.
A Carbondale resident, who only wanted his first name of James used, said he was heading south on the way out of town about 11:45 p.m. Saturday and had to apply his brakes at the intersection when he saw the bicyclist at the time of the crash. He said the biker did not appear have a light on and was very difficult to see.
Wilson said the biker had a head lamp strapped on his head, but it’s unclear if it was on or not.
James’ dash cam footage, which he relayed to officers that night, shows the bicyclist cross the intersection eastbound as the light was turning green, nearly getting hit by southbound traffic as he crossed the intersection, before being struck by the northbound vehicle.
James was one of the first people on the scene and called 911. He praised another motorist who stopped and responded to the scene; a woman who stayed with the injured biker until the ambulance arrived.
“Just to have his last moments with a loving, kind person. … We are lucky to have someone like that in the community,” James added.
He said the woman stayed with the biker on the ground, just talking to him and keeping him calm as James directed traffic around the scene.
Wilson said Broze was charged by police with DUI and vehicular homicide among other charges, but said that the crash is still under investigation.
He said there is suspicion that she was also speeding, but officials are still investigating the impact and physical evidence.
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