Aurora police sift facts in wrong-way fatal crash on I-225
Laressa Bachelor, Rocky Mountain News
Published January 23, 2007 at midnight
Aurora police were still trying to determine Monday how a driver managed to get on the wrong side of the freeway, causing a fatal crash that killed him and a 22- year-old woman.
Luis Javier Gomez, 24, was seen by a witness driving a green Toyota Celica north in the southbound left lane of Interstate 225 at about 2 a.m. Saturday, Lt. Troy Edwards said. As he crossed over East Sixth Avenue, his car collided head-on with a blue Jeep Cherokee driven by Lisa Swisher. Both motorists died at the scene.
According to a witness who was driving a truck on I-225, Gomez may have been driving at 55 mph to 60 mph for about two miles before the accident. He was not wearing a seat belt, Edwards said.
An autopsy on both victims was performed Monday. Police are waiting for the results of a toxicology report to determine whether alcohol was a factor.
Edwards said Gomez had a legal California driver's license and a permanent residency card. He said an inquiry was made to Immigration and Customs Enforcement to confirm those records. He said Gomez did not have a history of traffic violations or a criminal record.
Lisa Swisher recently finished a four-year tour of duty with the Marines and planned to pursue a degree in criminal justice.
She began attending classes at Aurora Community College last week, said Roxana Swisher, her stepmother.
"She was a bubble of sunshine, joyful, funny, easy to make friends with and a joy to be around," she said.
There will be a memorial service for Lisa Swisher at Arvada Covenant Church at 3 p.m. Thursday.
She will be buried with full military honors Friday at Fort Logan National Cemetery.
The Gomez family could not be reached for comment on Monday.
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