Two cousins were killed and a third cousin survived despite being ejected in a single-vehicle rollover crash early Saturday in Aurora on northbound Interstate 225 in which their sport utility vehicle caught fire and exploded.
Hadzigebich “Hadzi” Cosio-Virgen, who was driving the red 1999 Isuzu Trooper, and Jorge Luis Virgen, 19, a front-seat passenger, were killed.
Juan Manuel Cardenas Jr., 26, riding in the back seat, was tossed from the SUV, which burst into flames and rolled several times. Cardenas survived.
Aurora’s 15 vehicle-collision deaths so far this year put the city on pace to surpass last year’s 19.
“Past fatal, critical-injury collisions have involved alcohol or marijuana, road rage, inattention and reckless driving,” Aurora Police Chief Nicholas Metz said in a statement Saturday. “Lives and families are being destroyed by incidents that could have been prevented.”
Cardenas tried to rescue his cousins from the burning SUV but ended up watching them die, according to Lt. Michael A. McClelland, a spokesman for Aurora police.
Cardenas was taken to University Hospital, where he was treated for injuries that are not considered life-threatening, McClelland said.
High speed and sleep depravation probably caused the accident, he said.
During the investigation, the highway was partially closed for several hours.
Cardenas told officers that he and his cousins work together in oil fields near New Raymer and that their day had started at 3:30 a.m. Friday. After work, they drove to the Denver area and went to a restaurant for dinner with family members. Then they went to a cousin’s house until about 4 a.m. Saturday, McClelland said.
One witness said she was driving northbound on I-225 when a red Isuzu passed her going more than 80 mph.
Cardenas was sleeping in the backseat when he was startled awake by someone screaming, “Watch out!” The SUV careered off the highway near Interstate 70 at about 4:35 a.m.
Cardenas was ejected from the vehicle when it rolled numerous times. He immediately saw that the vehicle was on fire. Meanwhile, two men, including an off-duty state trooper, stopped their cars and ran to help. Then a FedEx truck driver stopped, grabbed a fire extinguisher and tried to save the two cousins. The flames and heat from the SUV were too intense to get very close, McClelland said.
“Shortly after backing away from the burning Isuzu, it exploded,” he said.
McClelland said intoxication doesn’t appear to be a factor in the crash.
“At this time, we do not believe the driver, Hadzi, was intoxicated, as both Juan and family members claim Hadzi is not a drinker.”
Evidence at the scene supports suspicions that the vehicle simply drove off the highway. It did not appear that seat belts were used by the occupants, McClelland said.
Investigators believe the fuel tank ignited.
Virgen and Cosio-Virgen were pronounced dead at the scene, McClelland said. An investigation of the crash is ongoing.
