
CDOT, Bicycle Colorado launch summer safety campaign amid rising cyclist fatalities
From 2020 to 2024, nearly half of all bicyclist fatalities in Colorado happened during summer months. It's a historically deadly time of year for cyclists. However, a new safety campaign launched by CDOT and Bicycle Colorado wants to change that statistic. It aims to educate the public through displaying signs memorializing bicyclist fatalities and explaining the "Three-Foot Law." It requires motorists to give people biking at least three feet of space, even if it means crossing a double yellow line to do so when the coast is clear.
"I'll never stop advocating," said Teri Vogel, who showed up to support the new initiative.
Vogel knows the pain and struggle of loss all too well. "My husband was killed by a hit-and-run driver July 4, 2019. Chuck made the world a better place. He was just an incredible human."
Chuck Vogel was an avid rider and outdoor enthusiast who loved spending time with family.
"He was constantly paying it forward, always in the background, but using it for good. I am his voice for him now," Teri Vogel said.
"We're at one bicyclist death every month in traffic crashes," said Sam Cole, traffic safety communications manager for CDOT. "These are real lives on the line."
Teri Vogel says now is the time to act, because everyone deserves to get home safely: "Every person is someone's loved one and child and didn't come home at the end of the day."
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Search suspended after Colorado investigators call stabbing of park ranger in Staunton State Park "targeted"
A massive search for a man who allegedly stabbed a seasonal park ranger at Staunton State Park in Jefferson County was suspended Tuesday evening after eight hours. Investigators said they had reason to believe it had been a targeted attack and there was no ongoing threat to the community. There was no word of an arrest. The seasonal park ranger was stabbed in the torso in a conflict with a man at about 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in the area of the Staunton Rocks. Jefferson County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Jacki Kelley said the ranger was doing "pretty well" after being stabbed in the torso. He was transported from the park to a nearby fire station, where he was airlifted to a hospital. Law officers using drones and aircraft searched the park and surrounding area. The park was evacuated and closed. Schools and residents in the area were locked down as law enforcement from multiple agencies searched for the suspect. Two people were taken into the sheriff's office for questioning, but later released. Seasonal rangers are not law enforcement officers, but can write tickets and citations. They also aren't armed. The ranger reported being attacked and described a man who ran off into the woods. The suspect was said to be in his early 30s and about six feet tall and 200 pounds, with brown hair, no facial hair, and wearing a grey shirt and blue jeans. The ranger's communication fell off after the attack, which created immediate concerns. "We had radio silence for quite a while, which is difficult when you can't get back in touch with somebody who's actually calling for help," Kelley said. Law enforcement officers questioned people coming and going from neighborhoods around the nearly 4,000-acre park. There are about 8,600 residences in the area, Kelley said. There was no word from investigators about how the conflict began. "We do encounter people who do want to do us harm. That's just part of the job," said Kara Van Hoose, a spokesperson for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. There was no further explanation from the sheriff's office about why they believe the incident was a targeted attack, or why they believed the suspect, who hasn't been caught, was not an ongoing threat to the community. Staunton State Park is generally a peaceful place for quiet. Volunteer Carol Phelps said, "Staunton State Park is usually really cool, full of friendly people." She said she had no worries about conflicts as a volunteer. The seasonal ranger who was stabbed was someone she knew and hoped for the best for him. "He's really nice," she said. "Dedicated, competent. He's a really sweet guy. A good seasonal ranger." "The good news is we can go home," said Paul Presley, who also lived in the area. "It's been a long day, especially for these guys out here, these officers," he added. "What am I going to do now? I'm going to take care of my dogs." Colorado Parks and Wildlife said the park will remain closed through Wednesday morning.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Ex-Space Force Analyst Suspected Teens of Stealing His Wife's Car, and Killed 1 — Now He's Sentenced to 54 Years
Orest Schur has been sentenced for second-degree murder and second-degree attempted murder following his June 2025 conviction NEED TO KNOW Former U.S. Space Force signals intelligence analyst Orest Schur was sentenced to 54 years in prison for second-degree murder and second-degree attempted murder In July 2023, the Afghanistan veteran shot at the 13-year-old and 14-year-old boys after they allegedly attempted to steal his wife's car Schur fired 11 shots at the two teens, fatally shooting one of them, Xavier Kirk, 14 Orest Schur, a former U.S. Space Force signals intelligence analyst, has been sentenced to more than five decades in prison after shooting two suspected teen car thieves and killing one of them, per a news release from District Attorney Brian Mason. On Friday, Aug. 15, Judge Caryn Datz sentenced Schur, 29, to 54 years in prison after he was convicted of second-degree murder and second-degree attempted murder in June 2025. He will serve 36 years behind bars for the murder charge and 18 years for the attempted murder, which will be served consecutively. Schur, an Afghanistan veteran, could have faced a maximum of 80 years in prison or a minimum of 26. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. In July 2023, in Aurora, Colo., Schur, who at the time was a U.S. Space Force technical sergeant, chased the 13-year-old and 14-year-old boys down after he allegedly caught them attempting to steal his wife's car. As the unarmed teens drove away and ultimately crashed the car, Schur fired 11 shots at them, per the forensic testing results — some of which hit 14-year-old Xavier Kirk in the back and head. He was rushed to the hospital, where he died. The 13-year-old, whose identity has not been publicly revealed, was shot in the back but was able to get to a relative's home for help. The teen was taken to the hospital, and he survived his injuries. Ahead of Schur's sentencing, he addressed the court and apologized for his actions. "I am sorry for the events that occurred that night, for the pain, for the grief and trauma that have followed and for the impact that my case had on so many lives,' per CBS News. At Schur's sentencing, the boys' family members condemned the boys' actions, but said they did not deserve to die. "You know, kids make mistakes, and so, I always teach my kids in my family, like my nephews and nieces, about consequences and repercussions,' one family member said, per CBS News. 'We're not trying to excuse any wrongdoing of Xavier, or wrong they were involved in. The part that's messed up is Orest Shur's car was never stolen." Additionally, prosecutors read the surviving teen's statement in court. "An adult chose to use deadly force against two unarmed teenagers. That is not justice, that is not safety, that is not accountability,' the statement read, per CBS News. 'I survived, but I am not the same. My friend didn't survive at all. And no matter what we did that night, I didn't deserve to be shot, and Xavier didn't deserve to die." District Attorney Mason also issued a statement, calling Schur's actions 'vigilante violence at its worst.' 'Now a young man is dead,' the statement read. 'The defendant took the law into his own hands, chasing down a fleeing vehicle and opening fire on its occupants. A 14-year-old boy will now never grow up because of the defendant's actions. I'm grateful to the Aurora Police Department for their investigation and to my team at the DA's Office for securing justice in this case.' Read the original article on People


New York Times
8 hours ago
- New York Times
Attacker Stabs Colorado Park Ranger and Flees
An attacker stabbed a wildlife ranger at a Colorado state park outside Denver on Tuesday morning and ran away, setting off a manhunt and leading officials to evacuate the park, the authorities said. The ranger, who was working at Staunton State Park at the time, was airlifted to an area hospital with serious injuries, said Kara Van Hoose, a spokeswoman for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The agency did not identify the ranger, who it said was expected to survive. It was not immediately clear what had led to the attack, which occurred around 9:30 a.m. and prompted the authorities to close the park. Investigators said that they were searching the area by ground and by air for the attacker, whom they described as a white man in his early 30s with brown hair, standing about six feet tall and weighing 200 pounds. He was wearing a gray shirt and blue jeans. 'Consider this person dangerous,' the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said on social media. The ranger who was stabbed was unarmed and is a seasonal employee, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, which said that those types of rangers can write citations or tickets for violations of park rules but cannot make arrests. Staunton State Park, which is about 40 miles southwest of Denver, covers nearly 4,000 acres and includes 37 miles of trails. It has 25 campsites and 25 picnic sites. A visitors page for the park says that it offers 'diverse landscapes, ranging from grassy meadows at 8,100 feet to granite cliffs over 10,000 feet.'