Suspected Driver In Fatal Hit & Run Arrested
LAKEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4) - A woman is dead and a man is under arrest following a hit and run in Lakewood late Thursday night. Police say quick thinking by a witness helped officers track down the suspect.
The woman, who was described as being in her 40s, was walking across Colfax Avenue just west of Wadsworth Boulevard at 11:45 p.m. when the car struck her and drove away. She has not been identified.
"The driver fled the scene. We additionally put out a Medina Alert and we had some great witnesses who helped out us," said Lakewood Police Detective Dave Hoover.
Witnesses followed the car and police say the driver was arrested at an apartment complex near 14th Avenue and Garrison Street about an hour and a half later after his vehicle was found outside an apartment.
"As soon as the accident happened there was a witness that followed the suspect and obtained the license plate," said Lakewood police spokesman Ty Countryman. "They did lose sight of the suspect but they had called us and given us the license plate and at that point that really led us to the path of the driver."
Jonathan Cordova, 53, was taken into custody and is being held at the Jefferson County Jail.
"We can't do our job out here without the citizens helping us out here, helping us every day. It's extremely important for everybody to understand that this is a relationship that we have with our community that is so important to help us solve these crimes so the families get the closure and we can bring these individuals to justice," said Hoover.
He faces charges of felony hit and run, vehicular homicide and felony DUI. Official toxicology reports are pending. It could take several weeks for those results.
Cordova has several DUIs on his record, according to Lakewood police.
