Aurora police say speed and alcohol were likely involved in a fatal crash early Tuesday in Del Mar Park.
Oscar Penaloza, 34, of Denver, was driving erratically with his two small children in the back seat when he crashed his Chevrolet Tahoe according to, Aurora police.
Penaloza’s 2-year-old and 3-year-old children were not in car seats or wearing seat belts, but appeared unharmed. One child told officers that Penaloza fell out of the Tahoe.
Police later learned Penaloza had an argument with the children’s mother earlier that night in Denver. The mother and her sister were injured when they attempted to stop Penaloza from leaving with the children.
At 2:05 a.m. Tuesday, the Tahoe was traveling south on Peoria Street at East Mississippi Avenue, when an officer saw the SUV run a red light.
The officer attempted to pull the Tahoe over, but Penaloza continued southbound on Peoria Street before turning west onto Kansas Drive. Penaloza stopped, but as the officer approached the Tahoe, he sped off through an apartment complex parking lot.
The SUV then started traveling north on Peoria at a high rate of speed, police said. The driver was doing an estimated 90 mph on Peoria Street before police lost sight of the SUV after it crossed East Alameda Avenue.
A bystander told police the SUV had headed toward Del Mar Park. Police found the driver’s door open and Penaloza lying about 60 feet behind the SUV. He was pronounced dead on scene.
