Woman Smashes SUV With Children Inside Into Denver Home
DENVER (CBS4) - Two young children who were passengers in an SUV that was driven recklessly by a woman who was possibly drunk were recovering in the hospital Thursday night following a series of crashes.
Police said the woman driving the car, identified as Mary Torres, 27, of Denver, was not a parent of either child, and the series of events ended with the SUV crashed into a north Denver home.
It started at about 7 p.m. at a Safeway grocery store at 38th and Wadsworth in Wheat Ridge. Two adults walked out of the SUV, went into the store and police said Torres then took off.
The SUV was then involved in a hit-and-run accident at 38th and Fenton. Minutes later the SUV smashed through the wall of the home, located at 38th and Valejo.
The homeowner was in the home at the time of the crash but was not hurt.
While some neighbors called 911 others were involved in getting the children out of the SUV safely before emergency crews arrived. The children were a boy and a girl, ages 3 and 4.
Police said Torres started walking off but was arrested nearby. It's not clear if she was injured in the crashes.
"She was crying and talking real loud and I couldn't really make out what she was saying, and she was kind of slurring," witness Scott Herrera said.
"Some neighbors on the corner here kept her from taking off from the scene," witness Patricia Ulibarri said.
Torres has been arrested three times before for drunk driving and her rap sheet also includes drugs, forgery and assault. There were also several outstanding warrants for her from multiple jurisdictions.
Torres remains at Denver Health Medical Center with a police officer posted outside her door.
