On Monday August 29, 2022, at 9:39 a.m., members of the Colorado Springs Police Department, Stetson Hills Division were dispatched to the intersection of Brady Road and Payton Circle to investigate a single vehicle traffic crash.
Officers learned that a white Subaru Outback veered off the west edge of Payton Circle just south of Brady Rd. The vehicle traveled off the road until it struck two trees and caught on fire. Officers learned that citizens who were in the area came to the crash and removed a single male from the driver’s side of the Subaru prior to the vehicle becoming fully engulfed in flames. The male driver was treated by members of CSFD and AMR before being transported to a local hospital. Once at the hospital the male driver succumbed to his injuries.
On Tuesday August 30, 2022, the El Paso County Coroner’s Office conducted an autopsy on the driver of the Subaru. The driver was identified as 72-year-old Esad Heldic of Colorado Springs. This is the 33rd fatal traffic crash this year in Colorado Springs. At this same time last year there were 35 fatal traffic crashes in Colorado Springs.