Colfax open after fatal head-on crash

By Bill Scanlon, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published August 11, 2008 at 7:57 a.m.
Updated August 11, 2008 at 11:57 a.m.

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East Colfax Avenue near Colorado Boulevard has reopened after being closed for several hours following a fatal three-car accident.

The crash at East Colfax Avenue and Harrison Street occurred about 7:20 a.m.

Police said a 17-year-old boy was driving eastbound on Colfax when he lost control and hit another vehicle head-on, killing that driver. The victim was described as a black male in his 30s, according to a Denver police press release.

One of the vehicles hit a tree and fire crews had to extricate the driver with "jaws of life."

"We were able to get the one party out easily from the passenger side," Denver Fire Department spokesman Lt. Phil Champagne said.

"But the driver wasn't so lucky," Champagne said. "We used the Jaws of Life to extricate him from the vehicle."

The 17-year-old was taken into custody at the scene, police said.

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