A Colorado School of Mines professor was charged Thursday with vehicular homicide in the suspected drunk driving crash that killed a Golden police officer and sent three others to the hospital, according to an arrest affidavit.
Stephen Geer, 43, was charged with one count of vehicular homicide – DUI, two counts of vehicular assault – DUI, one count of third-degree assault and one count of driving under the influence.
Golden police officer Evan Dunn and his partner, Bethany Grusing, were investigating a separate crash on Colorado 58 when Geer collided with the back of one of the cars parked on the side of the road, forcing the pair underneath, police said.
In the original crash, a pink Toyota Tacoma collided with a silver Subaru after the driver lost control and both cars came to a stop in the far-left lane, according to an arrest affidavit. The Tacoma was behind the Subaru and a patrol car parked behind both cars to block the lane.
One of the drivers in the original crash, her father and both police officers were standing in front of the cars involved when Geer crashed into the back of the Tacoma, police said in the affidavit.
The Tacoma then crashed into the back of the Subaru and forced it forward, pinning Dunn underneath and killing him, police said.
Grusing, the driver and her father were all injured, according to the affidavit. Grusing broke her cheekbone, the driver suffered a fractured skull and a brain bleed and the father was thrown over the barrier into the westbound lanes, severely cutting his head and elbow, police said.
Flags across Colorado flew at half-staff Wednesday for Dunn’s memorial service, which was not open to the public.
Geer told officers he saw the flashing warning lights and attempted to stop, but that he couldn’t make the stop in time on the slick roads, the affidavit stated.
When officers spoke to the professor, they smelled alcohol on his breath and asked him to complete voluntary roadside sobriety tests, police said in the affidavit.
According to the arrest affidavit, Geer told officers he had one beer at a nearby brewery several hours prior and initially planned to comply with the tests. After a few of the tests were complete, police said Geer stopped cooperating and refused a preliminary breath test.
Police said they obtained a warrant to draw his blood for testing, but the results of that test were not available Thursday.
Geer posted his $250,000 bail on Nov. 7, the same day it was set by Jefferson County Court Judge Thomas Vance, and appeared in court Thursday morning for a filing of charges hearing.
He is next scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 11 for a review hearing, according to court records.
