Here Are the Seventy 2021 Denver Traffic Fatality Victims Identified So Far

The new mark is the most since at least 2015.

November 8, 2021

(Clockwise from upper left) Roberto Zarate, Alyssa Perdue, Cesar Reyes-Castorena, Monie Law, Benjamin Desch, and Debra Williams and Monica Charles were among those killed in Denver traffic accidents in 2021. (Clockwise from upper left) Horan Cares/Reger Funeral Home/Tribute Archives/Marshalls Mortuary/Beyond the Dash/

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In 2017, the City of Denver launched Vision Zero, a five-year action plan with the mission of "eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries by making our roadways safer for everyone" by 2030. But Vision Zero's goal is further than ever from being achieved. On November 3, the Denver Police Department confirmed that 71 people had died in traffic accidents in 2021 so far, the most since Vision Zero was implemented. And over the weekend, another death took place, pushing the casualty total to 72 — with no end in sight.

Experts had seen this trend coming. Among them is Jill Locantore, executive director of Denver Streets Partnership, an organization that gave the city a mediocre B- score in June for the infrastructure-related safety improvements put into place the previous year. After this year's 71st traffic death, which surpassed the seventy recorded in 2019, a DSP release sought to put this sad milestone into perspective. According to its stats, 369 people have been killed on Denver streets since February 17, 2016, the date Denver officially committed to Vision Zero.

Also alarmed is Brad Evans, founder of the Denver Cruisers bike rides and a longtime safety advocate. He shared a graphic he produced after the seventy deaths in 2019, showing that amount surpassed the casualties in the four prior years.

Courtesy of Brad Evans

In 2020, traffic fatalities in Denver fell to 57 — a dip widely attributed to the extended stay-at-home order in place during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. But in 2021, the deaths began on January 1 and have continued at a steady pace since then.

The most recent DPD report on traffic fatalities counts 71 deaths through November 3, with seventy of the victims identified; the exception is an unknown bicyclist struck and killed by a train on October 29. And no victim's name has been released in connection with a crash on the 5800 block of East Colfax that involved "a vehicle and a motorcycle," according to a police tweet delivered at 7:10 p.m. November 5. The department followed up with a tweet at 1:42 p.m. November 6: "The motorcyclist was transported to a local hospital and later declared deceased."

Here are the names of the seventy victims the DPD has identified so far in the 72 fatal accidents in 2021 to date, including the location; whether criminal charges were pressed, are pending or were declined by prosecutors; and the type of vehicle involved. Note that seven of the deaths were associated with hit-and-runs.

1. Louis Jackson
01/01/21
1400 Blk N Elati St
Charges: None
Electric Stand-up Scooter/Fixed Object

2. Anthany Munguia
01/07/21
N Fox St & W 38th Ave
Charges: None
Auto/Rollover

3. Serafin Finn
01/16/21
1300 Blk S Federal Blvd
Hit and Run
Charges: Pending
Pedestrian/Auto

4. Monie Law
01/21/21
1600 Blk S Monaco St Pkwy
Charges: None
Auto/Fixed Object

5. Monica Charles
01/23/21
N Broadway & W Speer Blvd
Charges: Declined
Auto/Auto

6. Debra Williams
01/23/21
N Broadway & W Speer Blvd
Charges: Declined
Auto/Auto

7. Cesar Reyes-Castorena
02/03/21
EB I-70 & Quebec St
Charges: Careless w/Death
Auto/Auto

8. Maria Rosales
02/08/21
E Hampden Ave & S Akron St
Charges: Declined
Pedestrian/Auto

9. Refugio Sanchez-Garcia
02/12/21
W Evans Ave & S Zuni St
Charges: Vehicular Homicide
Auto/Auto

10. Bryan Serrano
02/15/21
NB I-25 & W 8th Ave
Charges: None
Auto/Rollover

11. Daniel Hallinan
02/16/21
3200 Blk W 44th Ave
Charges: Careless w/Death
Auto/Auto

12. Michael Ramos
03/05/21
Morrison Rd & W Kentucky Ave
Charges: Hit & Run w/Death
Auto/Pedestrian

13. Michelle Campbell
03/23/21
NB I-25 & NB I225
Charges: None
Auto/Auto

14. Tracy Rabb
04/01/21
1400 Blk N Race-Vine Alley
Charges: Declined
Pedestrian/Auto

15. Jessica Allen
04/03/21
Lawrence St & 18th St
Charges: Vehicular Homicide
Auto/Auto

16. Bradley Brubaker
04/10/21
W 32nd Ave & N Lowell Blvd
Charges: Vehicular Homicide
Auto/Auto

17. Alyssa Perdue
04/11/21
2000 Blk N Speer Blvd
Charges: None
Auto/Fixed Object

18. Loretta Cline
04/12/21
700 Blk N Corona-Downing Alley
Charges: None
Auto/Fixed Object

19. Mohammed Hammouma
04/07/21
Park Ave West & Wewatta St
Charges: None
Auto/Fixed Object

20. Tomas Fresquez-Castro
04/24/21
4500 Blk W 26th Ave
Charges: None
Auto/Fixed Object

21. Joey Bauer
05/07/21
WB I-70 & N Sheridan Blvd
Charges: None
Motorcycle/Fixed Object

22. Serena Ramos-Guzman
05/08/21
700 Blk S Lincoln St
Charges: None
Auto/Fixed Object

23. Keith Lake
05/17/21
N Central Park Blvd & E 35th Ave
Charges: Declined
Motorcycle/Auto

24. John Daggy
05/22/21
5000 Blk N Federal Blvd
Charges: None
Pedestrian/Auto

25. Sebastian Martinez
05/23/21
NB I-25 & 20th St
Charges: None
Motorcycle/Auto

26. Benjamin Desch
06/06/21
WB I-70 & N Brighton Blvd
Charges: None
Motorcycle/Auto

27. Zakaria Guisse
06/07/21
NB I-25 & 20th St
Charges: Vehicular Homicide
Auto/Pedestrian

28. Joyce Sterk
05/26/21
E Florida Ave & S Hudson St
Charges: Careless w/Death
Auto/Auto

29. Stanley Taylor
06/12/21
1700 Blk N Monaco St
Charges: None
Auto/Fixed Object

30. Wayne Carroll
06/12/21
1700 Blk N Monaco St
Charges: None
Auto/Fixed Object

31. Hidat Ghebrab
06/14/21
Park Ave West & Court Pl
Charges: Careless w/Death
Auto/Pedestrian

32. Roberto Zarate
06/18/21
5000 Blk E Evans Ave
Hit and Run
Charges: Pending
Auto/Pedestrian

33. Christopher Jordan
06/21/21
W Florida Ave & S Osage St
Charges: None
Motorcycle/Auto

34. Jeffrey Turner
06/24/21
7100 Blk E Evans Ave
Charges: Vehicular Homicide
Auto/Fixed Object

35. Gerardo Alva-Sanchez
06/29/21
N Quentin St & E 51st Ave
Charges: Careless w/Death
Auto/Motorcycle

36. Jeffrey Hutchcrat
07/05/21
WB I-70 & Central Park Blvd
Charges: None
Auto/Rollover

37. Robert Jimenez
06/29/21
10100 Blk MLK Blvd
Charges: None
Auto/Auto

38. Joshua Lawson*
07/22/21
W Evans Ave & S Acoma St
Charges: None
Bicycle/Fixed Object

39. Lynette Hoschouer
07/26/21
1000 Blk W 6th Ave
Charges: Vehicular Homicide
Auto/Auto

40. Maribel Garcia
07/29/21
2600 Blk S Sheridan Blvd
Charges: Vehicular Homicide
Auto/Auto

41. Kyle McClelland
07/29/21
2600 Blk S Sheridan Blvd
Charges: Vehicular Homicide
Auto/Auto

42. Phillip Williams
07/30/21
2300 Blk N Syracuse St
Charges: None
Auto/Fixed Object

43. Robert Blackman
08/08/21
2200 Blk E Buchtel Blvd
Charges: Careless w/Death
Auto/Motorcycle

44. Dylan Danley
08/19/21
W 17th Ave & N Irving St
Charges: None
Auto/Auto

45. James Garcia
08/24/21
100 Blk W Colfax Ave
Charges: None
Motorcycle/Fixed Object

46. Randy Collins
08/27/21
E 56th Ave & N Ireland St
Charges: Declined
Motorcycle/Auto

47. Johan Figueroa-Juarez
08/27/21
11700 Blk E MLK Blvd
Charges: None
Motorcycle/Auto

48. Flordelis Casanas
08/28/21
1800 Blk E Evans Ave
Hit and Run
Charges: Pending
Auto/Low Power Scooter

49. Johnnie Luque
08/30/21
1000 Blk S Raritan St
Charges: Careless w/Death
Auto/Pedestrian

50. Sean Love*
06/22/21
E 40th Ave & N Colorado Blvd
Charges: Declined
Electric Stand-up Scooter/Auto

51. Barbara Weller
09/02/21
E 6th Ave & N Downing St
Charges: Vehicular Homicide
Auto/Auto

52. Robert McCullough*
09/05/21
3900 Blk W 10th Ave
Charges: None
Bicycle/Fixed Object

53. Jose Ocampo-Soteno
09/07/21
Arkins Ct & 29th St
Charges: Vehicular Homicide
Auto/Pedestrian

54. Lucille Reed
09/08/21
1700 Blk E 46th Ave
Charges: Vehicular Homicide
Auto/Auto

55. David Merritt
09/14/21
Court Pl & W Colfax Ave
Charges: Declined
Bicycle/Auto

56. Patherchia Thao
09/18/21
900 Blk N Broadway
Hit and Run
Charges: Pending
Auto/Pedestrian

57. Christopher Kelly
09/27/21
N Broadway & E 3rd Ave
Hit and Run
Charges: Pending
Auto/Pedestrian

58. Rena Slutzker
09/27/21
7000 Blk E Cornell Ave
Charges: None
Auto/Fixed Object

59. Shamari Scott
09/15/21
800 Blk N Broadway
Hit and Run
Charges: Pending
Pedestrian/Auto

60. Byrce Chavez
10/04/21
4400 Blk N Colorado Blvd
Charges: None
Motorcycle/Fixed Object

61. Tiwan Alley
10/06/21
NB I-25 & W 6th Ave
Charges: Declined
Motorcycle/Auto

62. Camron Henderson
10/05/21
3000 Blk N Brighton Blvd
Charges: None
Motorcycle/Fixed Object

63. Matthew Davis
10/08/21
Welton St & W Colfax Ave
Charges: Declined
Pedestrian/Auto

64. Jorge Duque Arcila
10/15/21
SB I-25 & E Belleview Ave
Charges: None
Auto/Fixed Object

65. Robert Williams
10/07/21
E 21st Ave & N Franklin St
Charges: Careless w/Death
Auto/Auto

66. Robert Goolsby
10/02/21
1400 Blk S Broadway
Charges: None
Auto/Auto

67. Atilano Aviado
10/15/21
W 42nd Ave & N Zuni St
Charges: Careless w/Death
Auto/Auto

68. Sergio Loya
10/24/21
WB I-70 & N Pecos St
Hit and Run
Charges: Pending
Pedestrian/Auto

69. Unidentified Male
10/29/21
700 Blk W Bayaud Ave
Charges: Declined
Bicycle/Train

70. Donald Roberts
10/30/21
9000 Blk E Lowry Blvd
Charges: None
Auto/Fixed Object

71. Ruben Zamarron
11/03/21
4800 Blk N Pecos St
Charges: Declined
Auto/Auto

*Case not counted by CDOT as Traffic Fatality due to FARS reporting protocols.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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