AURORA | One person was killed in a crash at Interstate 225 and Parker Road Friday morning, one of two fatalities on metro Denver highways that snarled traffic during the morning commute
Aurora police said the crash happened around 5:20 a.m. in the northbound off ramp to Parker.
Investigators said the driver of a Mercedes Benz exited the highway and ran the red light at Parker before a southbound Toyota SUV slammed into the Mercedes.
The two drivers were alone in their vehicles at the time of the crash and were rushed to area hospitals, where one of the drivers died. Police have not released further details about the drivers, including their genders and which car the person killed was driving.
The crash is under investigation but police said they don’t believe alcohol, drugs or speed were contributing factors.
Police closed parts of I-225 and Parker for several hours during the morning rush hour as they investigated the crash. Police said all the lanes re-opened a little after 9 a.m.
The crash wasn’t alone in tying up local highways during the commute. A fatal shooting involving an Uber in Denver near I-25 and University Boulevard closed stretches of that busy highway for several hours Friday morning as well.
Denver police department spokesman Sonny Jackson says preliminary information points to a conflict between the Uber driver and passenger. He says shots were fired by the driver on Interstate 25 shortly before 3 a.m Friday.
The driver and victim were transported to hospitals. Jackson says the victim was pronounced dead, and the driver has been treated and released,