Timnath woman charged with careless driving in crash that killed 10-year-old bicyclist
A Timnath woman has been arrested in the crash that killed a 10-year-old boy riding his bike in a residential neighborhood in August.
The boy was riding his bike south on Saddle Horn Drive and was crossing River Pass Road when he was hit by a 2019 Audi SUV — driven by a 53-year-old Timnath woman — heading eastbound on River Pass Road just before 6 p.m. Aug. 2, according to the Larimer County Sheriff's Office.
The Timnath Police Department initially said the boy had been traveling westbound on River Pass Road and abruptly turned left onto Saddle Horn Drive in front of the oncoming vehicle, which was traveling eastbound on River Pass Road. The police department updated details of the crash a few days later, matching the information shared by the sheriff's office Friday.
The boy, 10-year-old Oliver Stratton of Timnath, sustained life-threatening injuries. He was transported UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland and then airlifted to Children's Hospital in Aurora, Timnath Police Chief Terry Jones previously told the Coloradoan. He died in the hospital the following day.
Sheriff's office investigators and the Collision Reconstruction and Scene Handling team investigated the crash and found "several environmental factors impacted visibility for both the driver and the cyclist," but they believe evidence also shows the driver was distracted at the time of the crash, according to a news release.
A summons was issued for the driver, Amy Weiss, on Friday, charging her with careless driving resulting in death, a Class 1 traffic misdemeanor, and tampering with physical evidence, a Class 1 misdemeanor.
The sheriff's office did not elaborate on what environmental factors possibly impacted the crash, what they believe the driver was distracted by, or the reason she was charged with tampering with physical evidence.
“Condolences feel hollow when a child dies, and words can’t begin to express the depth of our sadness for this family and all who loved Ollie,” Sheriff John Feyen said in the news release. “We ask everyone to remember this young man through your actions — minimize distractions when driving, actively look for pedestrians and cyclists, and talk to your family and friends about doing the same. It’s up to all of us to honor Ollie’s memory and do everything we can to prevent another tragedy like this in our community.”
Jones previously told the Coloradoan that preliminary reports indicated the vehicle involved in the crash was traveling approximately 30 mph in the area with a posted speed limited of 40 mph. He said the driver remained on scene and that neither speed nor impairment appeared to be causes of the crash.
The speed limit on River Pass Road in between Three Bell Parkway and Summerfield Parkway — where Oliver was hit — was reduced from 40 mph to 35 in mid-September. The speed reduction was an early result of a independent safety study of the River Pass Road corridor, which the town initiated in response to Oliver's death. The full study had not been completed as of mid-September, and the town is awaiting that and the final crash report to determine if any other measures are needed to improve safety in that area.
Oliver was an incoming fifth-grader at Bethke Elementary School in Timnath. The school's principal described him as "the kindest soul" in an email to families following his death.
In the days after Oliver's death, a memorial was created at the intersection of River Pass Road and Saddle Horn Drive with flowers, stuffed animals, Pokémon cards and other mementos in Oliver's memory. It remains at the intersection, along with a white ghost bike placed at the site.
A GoFundMe set up to support Oliver's family has raised about $16,000, surpassing its $15,000 goal.
Anyone struggling in the wake of Oliver's passing is encouraged to reach out the following community support resources:
SummitStone Health Partners’ Community Crisis Center, 1217 Riverside Ave. in Fort Collins: 970-494-4200
Pathways of Northern Colorado (hospice): 970-663-3500
Child, Adolescent and Young Adult Connections (CAYAC): 970-221-3308
Connections adult services: 970-221-5551
Text or call 988 if you or someone you know is struggling.
Call the Colorado Crisis Services line 24/7/365 at 1-844-493-8255 (or text “TALK” to 38255).
All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in court. Arrests and charges are merely accusations by law enforcement until, and unless, a suspect is convicted of a crime.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Timnath woman charged in crash that killed 10-year-old bicyclist
