Colorado Tesla driver dies after multi-vehicle high-speed crash, Aurora police say
A 26-year-old Colorado man has died as a result of his injuries after crashing into three other cars and being partially ejected, according to the Aurora Police Department. The man was clocked by a speed enforcement officer as going almost 100 MPH and running a red light before crashing.
The crash happened around 8 p.m. on Monday at the intersection of Alameda Parkway and South Airport Boulevard.
Aurora police say the Tesla was clocked at 97 MPH while it was traveling westbound on Alameda Parkway near South Quintero Way. The officer initially pursued the driver, but after he accelerated, the officer terminated the pursuit, the department said.
That driver, who has not yet been identified, ran a red light at South Airport Boulevard, striking one car, spinning out, and then colliding with two others, including an Aurora police vehicle, before catching fire. The driver was partially ejected and died at the scene, according to police.
Six others -- two adults and four children -- who were in the first vehicle the Tesla struck were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The Aurora Police officer and the other driver weren't injured.
The battery of the Tesla entered what officials referred to as "thermal runaway," which is when the lithium-ion batteries heat up so fast that they catch fire or sometimes even explode. Aurora Fire Rescue responded and monitored the Tesla, letting the fire burn out while keeping people away.
The crash and subsequent fire also damaged the road itself, as well as traffic lights in the area, and Aurora Public Works responded to clear the road and repair the traffic lights. The road was partially reopened around 1:40 a.m. Tuesday and fully reopened around 2:15 a.m.
APD is currently investigating the crash, and the deceased driver will be identified by the coroner's office.
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