On January 15, 2024, at approximately 5:12 PM, Officers with the Colorado Springs Police Department were dispatched to the intersection of Austin Bluffs Parkway and Meadow Lane regarding a traffic crash. Upon arrival, officers determined that the driver of one of the vehicles involved was deceased. Due to the nature of the crash, the Major Crash Team (MCT) was contacted and responded to the scene to assume the investigation.
The El Paso County Coroner’s Office conducted an autopsy on the deceased driver and identified him as 66-year-old David Smith. A photo of Mr. Smith is located below.
Through the course of the investigation, it was determined that the other driver, identified as Mr. Robert Pearson, ran a red light and struck the vehicle that Mr. Smith was driving, causing fatal injuries. Mr. Pearson has been charged with Vehicular Homicide.
This is the 4th traffic fatality in Colorado Springs this year. At this time last year, there was one traffic fatality. In the last 365 days, there have been 53 traffic fatalities in Colorado Springs.