A fatal collision on Highway 83 near Russellville Road resulted in the death of five individuals on Monday, according to the Colorado State Patrol. The incident involved a stolen Toyota Matrix that veered into oncoming traffic, colliding head-on with a Ford sedan. The driver of the Toyota, a 31-year-old man, died at the scene, along with four occupants of the Ford, including three children.
The tragic event unfolded in the late afternoon on a rural stretch south of Denver. The Toyota, reported stolen from Aurora around an hour prior to the crash, swerved off the right shoulder, rolled, and entered the northbound lane, where it collided with the Ford. Two other juveniles from the Ford were airlifted with life-threatening injuries. The Douglas County Coroner is tasked with formal identifications, while state troopers are reconstructing the sequence as part of a vehicular crimes investigation.
The incident began in Aurora, where a woman was accosted at the Nine Mile Station parking garage by a man who requested a ride. Upon her refusal, the man forcibly removed her from the driver’s seat and drove off in her Toyota Matrix. Approximately 50 minutes later, the stolen vehicle was involved in the fatal collision on Highway 83.
The Ford sedan was carrying a 35-year-old man and five children from Colorado Springs. The driver of the Toyota, a Denver resident, was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene. Initial reports suggested a nearby pickup truck might have been involved, but troopers later confirmed the truck had stopped short and was not part of the collision.
Family members of the Ford occupants identified four of the victims: 35-year-old Alvin Corado, and children Toretto Corado, 8, Makenlee Corado, 12, and Jase Green, 12. Two teenagers, a 13-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy, were flown to a hospital with critical injuries. The Colorado State Patrol described the crash as high-energy and complex, and the use of seat belts among the children is currently under review.
Highway 83, a two-lane corridor linking northern El Paso County and Douglas County, has seen repeated serious crashes near Franktown, where speeds increase and passing zones are limited. The Colorado Department of Transportation has studied safety upgrades along the route in recent years, including wider shoulders and turn lanes near intersections. Weather at the time of the crash was clear and dry, and road conditions have not been listed as a factor in the incident.
The identities of the Toyota driver and formal cause of death determinations will be issued by the coroner after notifications. State patrol’s Vehicular Crimes Unit is leading the reconstruction, which typically includes data downloads from the involved vehicles, interviews, and toxicology screens. Aurora police are investigating the carjacking reported at the RTD’s Nine Mile Station garage and are coordinating with Douglas County authorities.