Rifle police are investigating a one-vehicle crash that killed a pedestrian Wednesday morning on U.S. Highway 6.
According to Rifle Police Chief Tommy Klein, Garfield County 911 received a call around 7:20 a.m. Wednesday about a crash on Highway 6 between milemarker 93 and 94.
Rifle Police officers responded along with Colorado River Fire Rescue.
“Officers arrived first. They located a male lying in the roadway in the westbound lane of Highway 6. There were several people at the scene when the officers arrived,” Klein said.
“The officer provided life-saving measures as well as the ambulance crew when they arrived. However, those efforts failed and unfortunately, the male died at the scene.”
The Coroner’s office responded to the scene and the name of the victim is being withheld until next of kin can be notified.
Klein said from the preliminary investigation it appears that a subject was driving a blue Honda Civic traveling westbound on Highway 6 – the same direction as the pedestrian.
“After the male was struck the driver turned back around and returned to the scene,” Klein said.
Klein said the driver was arrested and that he will likely be charged with various offenses, one of which is DUI.
“All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in court,” Klein said.
Rifle Police Department is currently speaking to witnesses and gathering more information about the incident.
“We are looking for anyone that stopped at the scene to give us a call, and anyone that may have witnessed anything that happened and did not stop to please give us a call,” Klein said. “We would also like to talk to anyone who saw a man walking along the side of the road this morning.”
Witnesses of the crash can reach Rifle Police detectives at 970-665-6500.
Colorado Department of Transportation personnel and Rifle Community Service officers helped to divert traffic during the road closure. The highway was closed for approximately two hours while the scene was investigated.
The Colorado State Patrol also responded to the scene to help with the crash reconstruction.
“I want to thank everyone who stopped to help the gentleman who died,” Klein said.
