Shortly before two SUVs collided on Interstate 225 Saturday, killing one and injuring five, Aurora police clocked a driver doing 90 mph on the same stretch of road — where speeding is a persistent problem.
Police believe that speed contributed to the accident Saturday on southbound I-225, about a quarter-mile from the interchange with Interstate 70.
“I don’t know what it is about that part of the road that it just becomes the Autobahn,” said Aurora Police Lt. Charles DeShazer, referring to the famous German highways where high speeds are routine. “I have worked the other side of the road, and 70 and up is the norm.”
Speeding is such a concern on sections of I-70 and I-225 through Aurora that the Colorado Department of Transportation recently awarded Aurora police a $50,000 grant to address the problem.
In 2009, speeding contributed to 514 accidents — 70 percent of the 733 total crashes on the interstates that lie within the city limits, according to Aurora police statistics. Nearly 40 percent of accidents on the highways in Aurora resulted in injuries, compared with only 7 percent citywide.
Two Aurora police officers were patrolling the road Saturday, thanks to the grant received earlier this month. The two are part of a special speed-enforcement effort on the roads that will continue at various times throughout the year.
The effort is in addition to the Aurora police’s normal traffic enforcement on the interstates.
One of the off-duty motorcycle officers chased the driver who was running at 90 mph. “The guy fled, and we didn’t catch him,” DeShazer said. “The officer pulled him over and probably talked to him for about 15 seconds and then he took off.”
The two officers left not long before a 1996 Nissan Pathfinder driven by Johnnie Hines, 42, moved from the right lane to the middle lane at the same time as a 2007 Toyota RAV4 driven by Lauren Rand, 23, was changing from the left to the middle lane. Hines was coming from westbound I-70 and Rand from eastbound I-70.
The SUVs collided, killing Hines. Monique Robinson, 34, Hines’ passenger, and four children, who were also riding in the Nissan, were taken to hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.
Hines and Robinson were recently married. Two of the injured children were his, and the other two were hers. Two 8-year-old children, who weren’t wearing seat belts, were ejected from the Nissan. Rand wasn’t hurt and told police that she was driving 65 mph, 10 above the limit.
DeShazer believes both cars were traveling above the speed limit. Increased speed reduces the amount of time drivers have to react to a dangerous situation, he said.
Neither Rand nor Robinson could be reached for comment on Monday.
No fines or charges have been issued while the investigation continues. DeShazer said he doubts anyone will be charged. “It is not like you can attribute the fault completely to Mr. Hines or Ms. Rand,” he said. “It occurred, it happened, it is a tragedy.”
Tom McGhee: 303-954-1671 or tmcghee@denverpost.com
