A tragic accident on Highway 83 near Russellville Road claimed the lives of five people on Monday, as reported by the Colorado State Patrol. The fatal incident involved a stolen Toyota Matrix that veered into the path of an oncoming Ford sedan, resulting in a head-on collision. The Toyota driver, a 31-year-old male, along with four passengers in the Ford, including three children, were pronounced dead at the scene.
The unfortunate event occurred in the late afternoon on a rural stretch south of Denver. The Toyota, which had been reported stolen from Aurora approximately an hour before the crash, swerved off the right shoulder, rolled, and entered the northbound lane, where it collided with the Ford. Two other young passengers from the Ford were airlifted to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. The Douglas County Coroner is responsible for formal identifications, while state troopers are reconstructing the sequence of events as part of a vehicular crimes investigation.
The incident originated in Aurora, where a woman was confronted at the Nine Mile Station parking garage by a man who demanded a ride. When she declined, the man forcibly removed her from the driver’s seat and stole her Toyota Matrix. Roughly 50 minutes later, the stolen vehicle was involved in the fatal collision on Highway 83.
The Ford sedan was transporting a 35-year-old man and five children from Colorado Springs. The driver of the Toyota, a resident of Denver, 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.