A driver ‘somehow’ launched a car onto the Cherry Creek Trail again, Denver police say

No injuries. And no details on how the driver suddenly went from Speer Boulevard to one of the city’s main walking, running and biking thoroughfares.

The leftovers from a crash Sunday night that ended up with a car on the city's main walking and biking thoroughfare — again. (David Sachs/Denverite)

The leftovers from a crash Sunday night that ended up with a car on the city's main walking and biking thoroughfare — again. (David Sachs/Denverite)

staff photos

It happened again for at least the second time this year: A motorist crashed a car onto the Cherry Creek Trail.

On Sunday night at about 11 p.m., a 48-year-old man was driving north on Speer Boulevard until he wasn’t. The driver of the Ford Transit “somehow turned left” near Stout Street and crashed onto the trail, Denver Police Department spokesman Jay Casillas said.

The trail is a trunkline for people traveling through and exercising in the city. No one was injured, and no other vehicles were involved.

Casillas could not say what caused the motorist to suddenly veer onto the sunken trail and said he did not know how fast he was driving or whether he was distracted by a phone or anything else.

Police cited the man for careless driving, which includes a court date and which Casillas said is more serious than a distracted driving charge. A Denverite investigation from earlier this year found that distracted driving is not typically enforced.

A police report of the incident is vague but indicates that the man was driving with no proof of insurance. The report includes a diagram that shows the car traveling south then suddenly turning left and crossing a turn lane before plummeting into the creek area. Caution tape and a destroyed tree remained at the scene Monday morning.

Motorists crash into the Cherry Creek Trail often. We’ve documented this time, this timethis timethis time and that other time.

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