Charges filed in deadly hit-and-run crash in Commerce City that involved family

DENVER (KDVR) — Charges have now been filed against the driver who allegedly fled the scene of a hit-and-run crash that killed an 18-year-old and seriously injured three other family members.

The crash on Oct. 6 at the intersection of 58th Avenue and Holly Street killed 18-year-old Emiliano Malpica and left his 14-year-old brother and both his parents seriously injured and hospitalized.

According to police, the family’s vehicle had the right-of-way and was traveling through the intersection when they were struck by an Audi. Police initially said there were four people in the Audi: The driver and three passengers , who jumped into a nearby vehicle and left the scene. In a social media post on Oct. 14, the agency said the driver and one passenger fled the scene.

Now Erik Hernandez-Escobar, 20, is charged with leaving the scene of an accident involving death, vehicular homicide – reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident involving serious bodily injury, reckless vehicular assault, falsely reported ID to police, speed exhibition, driving with no insurance and failure to stop for a signal. He was arrested on Oct. 9, according to the Commerce City police.

Hernandez-Escobar is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday. He is currently being held on a $100,000 cash or surety bond.

FOX31 asked the Commerce City Police Department on Oct. 7 if the suspects in this case knew the people who they left the scene with.

“Whether they knew those people or random strangers decided to help the people who caused the crash. That seems a little bit odd. So we’re working on the fact that likely they must have known those people,” said Joanna Small, public information officer with Commerce City Police.

Small also said that speed was likely a contributing factor to the crash’s severity. The area has a speed limit of 35 mph.

FOX31’s Alliyah Sims spoke with Karla Malpica-Medina , Emiliano’s sister, after the crash. She said she just wanted to find her family members alive at the hospital.

“It’s just crazy how there’s people so cruel how can you live knowing you killed someone or at least leave the scene not knowing if those people made it,” said Karla. “They have a family they need to come home too, and unfortunately one of them didn’t.”

Police are still pursuing charges against the passengers in the suspect vehicle.

“The answer to the question you’re about to ask is yes— we are pursuing charges against everyone who left that family there to suffer,” the Commerce City Police Department said on Facebook.

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