Denver Traffic Deaths Update: Where and How 77 Fatal Crashes Happened

So far this year, 77 people have died in Denver from traffic accidents — a number that approaches the modern record of 84, set in 2021.

The Denver Police Department has provided details about all of these traffic fatalities, including when and where they happened, specifics about the types of vehicles involved and whether the incidents resulted in criminal charges. Seventeen of the crashes are classified as hit-and-runs — four more than in all of last year.

Although the DPD’s all-time record for traffic fatalities was 100 in 1969, annual traffic death totals for Denver weren’t widely accessible until recent years. However, the DPD was able to provide Westword with figures for each year since 2010, when the fatality count was 42, exactly half of the 2021 total. Over the past decade-plus, traffic deaths have steadily increased despite the 2016 launch of Vision Zero, a five-year action plan with the mission of “eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries by making our roadways safer for everyone” as of 2030.

Continue to see the annual traffic-fatality counts in Denver from 2010 to 2021:

2010: 42
2011: 41
2012: 40
2013: 47
2014: 49
2015: 57
2016: 61
2017: 51
2018: 64
2019: 71
2020: 57
2021: 84

Boulder is also part of the Vision Zero program — and it’s reported just one traffic fatality so far in 2022.

The two most recent traffic deaths recorded by the DPD took place on November 30, and while the DPD hasn’t reported any casualties since, safety issues haven’t vanished. Far from it: The department tweeted about a crash with serious injuries involving a motorist and a pedestrian near the intersection of West Tenth Avenue and Federal Boulevard on the afternoon of December 5, with an alert regarding a serious-injury smash-up involving two automobiles at 24th and Broadway just before 10 a.m. December 6.

Here are the 77 fatal traffic accidents from January 1 through today, in chronological order, with the name of the victim and the location of the incident, as well as whether criminal charges were pressed, are pending or were declined by prosecutors; the type of vehicle involved; and the incidents identified as hit-and-runs.

January 11, 2022
Victim: Paul Hobrecht
5200 block of Peña Boulevard
Auto/Rollover
Criminal charges: None

January 14, 2022
Victim: Patricia Young
East Alameda Avenue/South Dayton Street
Auto/Auto
Criminal charges: Careless driving with death

January 21, 2022
Victim: Matthew Goodman
1800 block of South Federal Boulevard
Pedestrian/Auto
Criminal charges: Declined

February 6, 2022
Victim: Joaquin Romero
600 block of South Eliot Street
Auto/Pedestrian
Hit-and-run
Criminal charges: Pending

February 6, 2022
Victim: Steven Aguilar
Northbound I-25/Colfax Avenue
Auto/Rollover
Criminal charges: None

February 9, 2022
Victim: Jeffrey Jones
3700 Park Avenue West
Pedestrian/Train
Criminal charges: None

February 12, 2022
Victim: Oscar Chiccon
North Williams Street/East 31st Avenue
Auto/Auto
Criminal charges: Careless driving with death

February 25, 2022
Victim: Mary Vaccaro
North Tower Road/East 69th Avenue
Auto/Pedestrian
Criminal charges: Declined

February 26, 2022
Victim: Kevin Maczo-Hernandez
1200 block of South Santa Fe Drive
Auto/Rollover
Criminal charges: None

March 2, 2022
Victim: Jaime Gonzalez-Valdez
Leetsdale Drive/South Monaco Parkway
Motorcycle/Auto
Criminal charges: Declined

March 3, 2022
Victim: April Mata
Southbound I-25/West Eighth Avenue
Auto/Rollover
Criminal charges: Careless driving with death

March 12, 2022
Victim: Joshua Jones
Northbound I-25/West Alameda Avenue
Pedestrian/Auto
Hit-and-run
Criminal charges: Felony hit-and-run

March 23, 2022
Victim: Michael Lewis
Southbound I-25/West 13th Avenue
Pedestrian/Auto
Criminal charges: Declined

March 24, 2022
Victim: Daniel Rubio
West 5th Avenue/North Kalamath Street
Auto/Rollover
Criminal charges: Careless driving with death

March 28, 2022
Victim: Dennis Neely
West Alameda Avenue/South Sheridan Boulevard
Auto/Rollover
Criminal charges: Careless driving with death

March 31, 2022
Victim: Carla Andre
East Mississippi Avenue/South Geneva Street
Auto/Auto
Criminal charges: None

April 1, 2022
Victim: Rodolfo Rivera
East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard/Colorado Boulevard
Auto/Auto
Hit-and-run
Criminal charges: Vehicular homicide

April 1, 2022
Victim: Anthony Yagovane
Speer Boulevard/North Broadway Street
Auto/Pedestrian
Criminal charges: Declined

April 8, 2022
Victim: Dale Bluecoat
East Colfax Avenue/North Race Street
Pedestrian/Auto
Criminal charges: Declined

April 8, 2022
Victim: Gustavo Cordero
California Street/22nd Street
Motorcycle/Auto
Criminal charges: Declined

April 9, 2022
Victim: Victor Cruz-Perez
South Sheridan Boulevard/West Alameda Avenue
Scooter/Auto
Criminal charges: Declined

April 11, 2022
Victim: Eugene Guzman
13600 block of East 56th Avenue
Auto/Fixed object
Criminal charges: None

April 12, 2022
Victim: Benjamin Murphy
West 38th Avenue/North Quivas Street
Auto/Motorcycle
Criminal charges: Careless driving with death

April 17, 2022
Victim: Victor Hallcy
North Syracuse Street/East 14th Avenue
Auto/Auto
Criminal charges: Careless driving with death

May 4, 2022
Victim: Maximilian Ryan
South Jason Street/South Platte River Drive
Auto/Rollover
Criminal charges: None

May 5, 2022
Victim: Jose Medrano
South Federal Boulevard/West Yale Avenue
Auto/Auto
Criminal charges: Vehicular homicide

May 6, 2022
Victim: Edgar Johnson
13600 Block of East 56th Avenue
Auto/Auto
Criminal charges: Vehicular homicide

May 7, 2022
Victim: Juliana Anderson
North Newton Street/West 38th Avenue
Auto/Auto
Criminal charges: None

May 11, 2022
Victim: Steven Peters
North Colorado Boulevard/East 48th Avenue
Pedestrian/Auto
Criminal charges: Declined

May 13, 2022
Victim: Kevin Maez
Westbound Interstate 70/Central Park Boulevard
Auto/Motorcycle
Criminal charges: Felony hit-and-run

May 17, 2022
Victim: Christopher Apodaca
4300 block of East Colfax Avenue
Pedestrian/Auto
Hit-and-run
Criminal charges: Felony hit-and-run

May 21, 2022
Victim: Paul Hoard
East 13th Avenue/North Broadway
Auto/Auto
Criminal charges: None

May 22, 2022
Victim: Elmil Parada-Funez
North Chambers Road/East 40th Avenue
Auto/Auto
Criminal charges: None

May 24, 2022
Victim: Lynn Willcockson
East Harvard Avenue/South Quebec Street
Auto/Auto
Hit-and-run
Criminal charges: Vehicular homicide

May 30, 2022
Victim: Muslima Warsame
East 46th Avenue/North Brighton Boulevard
Auto/Auto
Criminal charges: Vehicular homicide

May 30, 2022
Victim: Samantha Whatley
Northbound Interstate 225/Westbound Interstate 70 flyover ramp
Auto/Auto
Criminal charges: None

May 30, 2022
Victim: Juvenile (name not provided)
Northbound Interstate 225/Westbound Interstate 70 flyover ramp
Auto./Auto
Criminal charges: None

June 2, 2022
Victim: Alfred McClendon
Peña Boulevard outbound/E-470
Auto/Rollover
Criminal charges: None

June 5, 2022
Victim: Manuel Ruiz
6400 block of Peña Boulevard outbound
Auto/Rollover
Criminal charges: None

June 18, 2022
Victim: Jason Fujiwara
1500 block of North Colorado Boulevard
Pedestrian/Auto
Hit-and-run
Criminal charges: Pending

June 25, 2022
Victim: Javin Odegard
North Fox Street/West 6th Avenue
Bicycle/Auto
Criminal charges: Declined

June 26, 2022
Victim: Michael Thompson
4100 block of West 43rd Avenue
Auto/Fixed object
Criminal charges: None

June 28, 2022
Victim: Celso Rojas
4900 block of North Quebec Street
Motorcycle/Auto
Criminal charges: Declined

July 2, 2022
Victim: Terrell Jones
Broadway/West Irvington Place
Auto/Pedestrian
Criminal charges: Vehicular Homicide

July 3, 2022
Victim: Gregory Robinson
3500 block of North Quebec Street
Auto/Pedestrian
Criminal charges: Careless driving with death

July 5, 2022
Victim: Justin Conway
2100 block of East Colfax Avenue
Pedestrian/Auto
Hit-and-run
Criminal charges: None

July 11, 2022
Victim: Thomas Vangel
7300 block of East Colfax Avenue
Auto/Pedestrian
Hit-and-run
Criminal charges: None

July 19, 2022
Victim: Felix Sagna
Eastbound 6th Avenue/Northbound I-25 flyover ramp
Auto/Rollover
Criminal charges: None

July 23, 2022
Victim: Matthew Melchi
600 block of South Santa Fe Drive
Auto/Auto
Criminal charges: Vehicular homicide

July 23, 2022
Victim: Brittany Caplan
600 block of South Santa Fe Drive
Auto/Auto
Criminal charges: Vehicular homicide

July 23, 2022
Victim: Juana Murillo-Gutierrez
000 block of North Sheridan Boulevard
Auto/Pedestrian
Hit-and-run
Criminal charges: Pending

July 30, 2022
Victim: Jake Johnson
East 40th Avenue/Peña Boulevard
Auto/Auto
Hit-and-run
Criminal charges: Vehicular homicide

August 3, 2022
Victim: Lorenzo Garibaldo
Northbound I-25/South University Boulevard
Auto/Pedestrian
Hit-and-run
Criminal charges: Driving under the influence

August 7, 2022
Victim: Falon Bear-Stops
West 6th Avenue Freeway/North Federal Boulevard
Auto/Auto/Pedestrian
Hit-and-run
Criminal charges: Pending

August 10, 2022
Victim: Steve Perkins
East 13th Avenue and North Syracuse Street
Auto/Bicycle
Hit-and-run
Criminal charges: Pending

August 13, 2022
Victim: Geraldine Reyna
West 11th Avenue and North Speer Boulevard
Auto/Auto/Rollover
Criminal charges: None

August 13, 2022
Victim: Sebastian Castanon-Robles
12100 block of East 56th Avenue
Auto/Fixed object/Rollover
Criminal charges: None

August 17, 2022
Victim: Pauline Burroughs
2800 block of West Colfax Avenue
Hit-and-run
Pedestrian/Auto
Criminal charges: Pending

August 18, 2022
Victim: Alfred Trujillo
South Knox Court/West Virginia Avenue
Motorcycle/Auto
Criminal charges: None

August 18, 2022
Victim: Unidentified male
South Knox Court/West Virginia Avenue
Motorcycle/Auto
Criminal charges: None

August 20, 2022
Victim: Michael Buhner
19433 East 42nd Avenue
Auto/Pedestrian
Criminal charges: None

August 22, 2022
Victim: Anthony Mestas
Morrison Road/South Sheridan Boulevard
Pedestrian/Auto
Criminal charges: Declined

August 22, 2022
Victim: Juvenile
4100 block of East Smith Road
Auto/Fixed object/Rollover
Criminal charges: Vehicular homicide

September 5, 2022
Victim: Michael Wims
North Sheridan Boulevard/West Hampden Avenue on-ramp
Motorcycle/Rollover
Criminal charges: none

September 6, 2022
Victim: Stephen Reinehr
5000 block of West 10th Avenue
Motorcycle/Auto
Criminal charges: None

September 14, 2022
Victim: Patrick Vigil
North Alcott Street/West 38th Avenue
Pedestrian/Auto
Criminal charges: Declined

September 17, 2022
Victim: James Wavrin
South Quebec Street/Cherry Creek South Drive
Auto/Auto
Criminal charges: Carless driving with death

September 24, 2022
Victim: Landon Sparks
East 46th Avenue/North Fairplay Way
Motorcycle/Auto
Criminal charges: Declined

October 12, 2022
Victim: Cleo Jimenez
1700 block of 19th Street
Auto/Fixed object
Criminal charges: None

October 27, 2022
Victim: Cassandra Livingston
2400 block of North Roslyn Street
Auto/Fixed object
Criminal charges: None

October 29, 2022
Victim: Darius Wheeler
North Colorado Boulevard/East Martin Luther King Boulevard
Auto/Auto/Rollover
Criminal charges: None

November 2, 2022
Victim: Alexander Dounas-Frazier
Eastbound 6th Avenue/North Federal Boulevard
Motorcycle/Fixed object
Criminal charges: None

November 12, 2022
Victim: Aaron Curtis
15th Street/Stout Street
Pedestrian/Auto
Hit-and-run
Criminal charges: Pending

November 13, 2022
Victim: Briana Estrada
1400 block of South Santa Fe Drive
Auto/Fixed object
Hit-and-run
Criminal charges: Pending

November 16, 2022
Victim: Taylor Shelly
32nd Street/Lawrence Street
Auto/Low Power Scooter
Criminal charges: Careless driving with death

November 30, 2022
Victim: Unidentified male
East 56th Avenue/Peña Boulevard
Pedestrian/Auto
Criminal charges: Declined

November 30, 2022
Victim: Gregory Johnson
1971 West Evans Avenue (private property)
Pedestrian/Auto
Criminal charges: Declined