Police have identified Juan Sanchez, 39, as the suspected driver of a pickup truck struck and killing a woman at West Colfax Avenue and Zenobia Street Tuesday night. Following the crash, the driver fled.
The family of the victim identified her to other news outlets as Annette Conquering Bear, who would have turned 52 Thursday. She was pronounced dead on the scene at 5:02 PM.
After Sanchez allegedly fled the scene, police recovered an abandoned vehicle, a white, late '90s GMC Sierra Crew Cab with chrome rims, chrome step-sides and a chrome toolbox, about a mile east of the crime scene on West Colfax Avenue and King Street. The vehicle had reportedly been loaned to Sanchez by a friend.
Sanchez reportedly has been in touch with police via text message. He agreed to report to the Traffic Investigation Unit on Wednesday, but as of Thursday afternoon was still at-large. According to a police report, Sanchez was involved in a separate DUI last week prior to the crash. Sanchez faces charges of vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of an accident involving death.
The Denver Police Department has not released additional information on the incident because it is still under investigation.
West Colfax is a five-lane street in this area. No traffic signals or signs exist at the intersection, nor does a painted crosswalk. A median with a pedestrian refuge is in the middle of the street. No city surveillance cameras, known as HALO cameras, are near the intersection, according to a DPD map.
