Aurora – Friends and family on Sunday were mourning a 25-year-old Highlands Ranch bride-to-be who was killed hours before her wedding when a pickup slammed into her car.
Arlene Gavrilis died at the scene of Saturday’s crash, which occurred just after 2 a.m. at the intersection of East Hampden Avenue and South Nucla Street, Aurora police spokeswoman Kathleen Walsh said.
Gavrilis’ white wedding dress hung out the back window of her smashed Volkswagen Beetle as her body lay in the middle of Hampden’s westbound lanes. She was to have worn the dress in a ceremony with Adam Hawkes at 3 p.m. Saturday.
Hours before, on Friday evening, the couple had been at a wedding rehearsal dinner.
“They were both all dressed up. Adam had his new suit on, and she was in a pretty pink dress. They were so happy,” said Sandy Alpert, Hawkes’ aunt. “They greeted everybody. They were beaming. They were in love.”
Gavrilis’ family issued a statement saying, in part: “Our beloved Arlene Gavrilis will always be in our hearts and minds. She lived her life to the fullest and never at anyone’s expense. She was always there for her family and friends as a pillar of strength and wisdom. Arlene’s beautiful smile and magnetic personality will never be forgotten by those who were blessed to know her.
“Arlene was to be married today June 4th, 2005 to Adam Hawkes and it was to be the happiest day of her life. Instead, her life was cut short and dreams washed away …
“Arlene, along with her family and friends request that you tell her story to as many people as possible in the hopes of preventing future meaningless tragedy, sorrow, and pain.”
The driver of the pickup that hit Gavrilis, Kavin Kraft, 27, of Aurora suffered minor injuries and is being investigated for speeding violations.
Alcohol is suspected to have been a factor with both drivers, Walsh said.
“When we got there, she was laying in the middle of the road, facedown,” said Justin Palmer, 25, of Aurora, who along with several other passers-by stopped to help after the accident. “I saw the wedding dress but thought that it might have been white curtains or something.
“I can’t believe this happened on her wedding day.”
“I held her wrist and felt for her pulse, but there was none,” said Palmer’s fiancée, Tina Tirrell of Aurora. “The fact that she was getting married, it makes me feel like we had something in common.”
Gavrilis was traveling west on East Hampden in the far right lane when she attempted a U-turn across several lanes of traffic, Walsh said.
Kraft also was westbound in his Dodge pickup, in the lane next to Gavrilis’, when she turned in front of him, Walsh said.
Gavrilis was thrown from her car.
“You’ve gone through the grief. And you’ve cried. And you can’t believe it,” Alpert said. “And you keep thinking you’re going to wake up and it’s going to have been a nightmare.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
