Girl Swept Away In Boulder Creek Identified As Teen Twin From Rollinsville
BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - A girl who was swept away after her family pickup truck crashed into Boulder Creek has been identified as a 13-year-old from Rollinsville.
Sophia Dubose died after she traveled more than 6 miles in the creek. Her identical twin sister and father were able to get out after their pickup ended up flipped over in the creek. The girl was pulled out of the creek behind Boulder High School and later died at the hospital.
Dubose had strong ties to the community.
"She was just a beautiful child, a twin. Together they were one," family friend and neighbor Geno Kennedy said.
Kennedy said news of one twin's death devastated the entire town.
"My friends lost their daughter but in this town everybody feels like they lost a child," he said.
The Boulder County Sheriff's Office says the twins' father was driving behind a van 4 miles west of Boulder when the van was startled by a bear on Highway 119.
"The first car braked suddenly for a bear that crossed the road. The second car, which is the vehicle in the creek, tried to avoid the collision with the first car but did end up rear-ending it and then ended up in the creek," Cmdr. Steve Cullen with the Boulder County Sheriff's Office said.
One daughter and the father managed to climb out. Despite efforts, 100 personnel were unable to reach Dubose before she was swept away. News about the bizarre accident and the resulting tragedy reached Rollinsville hours later at the dance hall.
"Once the word hit the mood of the entire dance just dropped," Kennedy said. "People just started running out, crying."
Kennedy said Dubose could always make people smile.
