AURORA | A former Aurora Central High School principal was killed early this week when he was hit by a stolen pickup truck in northeast Denver, according to reports.
Ernest Gurrini, 66, was hit by the truck Tuesday morning in the parking lot of a gas station near East 40th Avenue and Havana Street.
According to Denver Channel 7, the driver who struck Gurrini, Eric Ukuni, 26, carjacked the truck earlier that morning in Commerce City and led police on a chase before intentionally plowing into Gurrini.
Ukuni, who is being held in the Denver County Jail, is facing multiple charges, including first-degree murder, according to jail records.
A gofundme.com page for Gurrini has raised almost $3,200 toward a $10,000 goal as of Friday morning.
According to the page, Gurrini was a retired Central assistant principal.
“Ernie was a husband, a son, a father, a grandfather, and just an all around an amazing man. He was a retired Assistant Principal at Aurora Central High school and a loving mentor to anyone who needed it,” the page said.
Several former coworkers at Central High School and colleges at Aurora Public Schools were among those donating and leaving condolences for Gurrini’s family, including Lisa Escárcega, who served as the APS chief accountability and research officer until last year.