A dead deer on Interstate 25 caused a fatal traffic accident Monday night – a common hazard in Colorado this time of year, according to traffic and wildlife officials.
Jeremy Singleton, 20, of Albuquerque swerved his 2002 Chrysler Sebring to miss the carcass in the southbound lane of I-25 in the Greenland Ranch area south of Larkspur, rolling the car several times and killing himself and 18-month-old Jennessa Arbelaez Monday night.
Three other passengers were seriously injured: Vennessa Arbelaez, 18, of Albuquerque; her son, Jeremiha Arbelaez, 3 months; and the children’s maternal grandmother, Nora Arbelaez, 42, of Rio Rancho, N.M.
No other cars were involved; neither were alcohol, drugs or excessive speed, Colorado State Patrol Trooper Eric Wynn said. Authorities don’t know why the group was passing through Colorado, nor did they know Singleton’s relationship with the others.
Singleton and the deceased child were wearing safety restraints, according to the State Patrol.
The deer in the roadway appeared to be from a recent collision. The Colorado Department of Transportation had not received a call to remove the carcass, an official said.
The Greenland Ranch area, between more urban developments in Castle Rock and northern El Paso County, has a history of problems with deer on the highway, said Bob Wilson, spokesman for CDOT.
“That ranch is wide open spaces where you’re most likely to encounter wildlife,” Wilson said.
Greenland Ranch is one of 12 priority areas statewide where wildlife and traffic mix, according to the the Southern Rockies Ecosystem Project, a Denver-based nonprofit that works to restore and protect wildlife habitats divided by development and roadways.
A CDOT study found that from 1993 to 2003, there were 24,678 animal-vehicle collisions statewide, including 8,400 involving deer.
Twenty-three people were killed in wildlife-vehicle collisions during that 10-year period; 2,266 sustained injuries and more than 22,388 vehicles were damaged.
“It’s a trend that’s going off the chart,” said Monique DiGiorgio, spokeswoman for the Southern Rockies Ecosystem Project.
This is the worst time of year for animal-vehicle collisions, said Tyler Baskfield, spokesman for the Colorado Division of Wildlife. Deer are in mating season and migrating from the high country to the plains.
“Deer are paying more attention to finding a mate than they are … to traffic,” Baskfield said.
Daylight-saving time also puts commuters on the road at dusk, when deer are more active, he said.
While the Southern Rockies Ecosystem Project advocates highway engineering and other programs to make driving safer, humans can protect themselves simply by being more careful, DiGiorgio said. “We tell people: Don’t swerve. It’s the hardest thing to do, but it’s the safest.”
Denver Post researcher Barbara Hudson contributed to this report.
