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Tearful Restaurant Staff Says Hit & Run Victim Was Employee

By Rick Sallinger

AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - Police have recovered a pickup truck believed to be involved in a hit-and-run crash that left a man who was headed home from work dead.

The crime happened around midnight Sunday into Monday when the truck slammed into the man along East Colfax Avenue at Kingston in Aurora.

Police in two locations had spotted the vehicle before learning what happened.

"It was speeding down the road. They decided not to pursue it or anything like that. It was also seen driving north on Peoria at a high rate of speed. An officer saw it up there at about 30th and Peoria speeding into Denver and again they chose not to engage in pursuit with the vehicle," said Sgt. Chris Carleton of Aurora police

Police said the acceleration of the truck made a traffic stop "implausible."

Officers then went to Colfax at Kingston, where people had gathered.

hit and run
(credit: CBS)

"Those folks had stopped after they had seen a pedestrian on the road. And after talking to witnesses on the scene there it turned out the pedestrian had been struck by this white Ford F-250 that had been speeding down Colfax," Carleton said.

Real de Minas Mexican Grill
Real de Minas Mexican Grill (credit: CBS)

With tears in their eyes, the manager and employees of the Real de Minas Mexican Grill restaurant told CBS4 it was the brother of the business's owner who had been killed. He had been at the restaurant moments earlier working there and was probably headed home.

The owner of the restaurant later expressed his hope that the driver responsible will be arrested.

The truck had been stolen in Adams County last Friday. It was located in Denver after police received a tip, but so far it's unknown who the driver was.

Police ask that you call Crimestoppers at 720-913-STOP with any information about the driver of the stolen truck.

CBS4's Rick Sallinger is a Peabody award winning reporter who has been with the station more than two decades doing hard news and investigative reporting. Follow him on Twitter @ricksallinger.

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