Watch CBS News

Police: Hit & Run Kills Tow Truck Driver

ARVADA, Colo. (CBS4) - A tow truck driver was struck and killed early Sunday morning while he was preparing to tow a car from a crash scene.

The hit-and-run happened near the intersection of 58th and Wadsworth in Arvada just after 1:30 a.m. Zachariah Dobler, 28, of Lakewood was arrested and taken to the Jefferson County Jail. he has a long list of prior alcohol and driving offenses.

Zachariah Dobler
Zachariah Dobler (credit: Arvada Police Department)

Police said Dobler hit the tow truck driver, identified as Alan Dilley, 41, of Wheat Ridge, and then continued to drive north on Wadsworth. Police were already there in the intersection because of the traffic accident they responded to. They quickly chased Dobler and stopped him a about six blocks north and took him to jail.

"This incident happened within a matter of seconds, and so what we're trying to do at this point is go back and re-create exactly what had happened," Susan Medina with Arvada police said. "Part of that is investigating whether or not drugs or alcohol were involved in this incident."

Medina said it was a tough incident for the officers and fire personnel.

"You could tell by the officers who responded on the scene and the firefighters who were there; this wasn't an individual that was unfamiliar to them," Medina said. "This is somebody who they've worked with and they've worked with on several calls and you just don't expect that these types of things are going to happen."

Police say that the new law passed this year after the death of a Colorado Springs tow truck driver did not apply in this accident because Dilley was not standing next to his truck when he was hit.

Dilley worked for Connolly's Towing out of Arvada.

Tow Truck Map
(credit: CBS)
View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.