New Details Lead To Indictment Of Passenger That Caused Deadly Crash

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - The passenger of a car that caused a fatal collision on 6th Avenue in Lakewood could face more than 20 years in prison.

A grand jury indicted Alisha Huerena for manslaughter and child abuse resulting in serious injury for her alleged role in the accident that killed 51-year-old Kimberly Henderson and injured her 9-year-old son in late July.

Andrew and Alisha Huerena initially told investigators the accident was caused by a freak series of events. The couple said Alisha Huerena's hand slipped off a car radio and onto the steering wheel when their vehicle hit a bump, leading to the loss of control. It was called distracted driving and blamed on the driver.

That explanation didn't sit right with right with investigators, and Jefferson County District Attorney Peter Weir.

"This is a case that did not make sense when we looked at the original report," Weir said.

Police never found the alleged bump the Huerenas said they hit. Further investigation revealed the couple was violating a protection order restricting their contact and had been fighting.

After interviewing multiple witnesses, the grand jury determined the crash occurred when Alisha Huerena grabbed the steering wheel and violently jerked the car into a different lane. Their car sideswiped Kimberly Henderson's Toyota 4Runner and put it into a violent roll.

"There's a sense of relief that we believe the grand jury has gotten to the truth," said Weir.

A warrant has been issued for the couple's arrest.

Stan Bush is a general assignment reporter at CBS4. His stories can be seen on CBS4 News at 10. Read his bio and follow him on Twitter @StanBushTV.