After months of unanswered questions in a quiet Erie neighborhood, a 32-year-old local man is now behind bars in connection with a February hit-and-run that killed a 2-year-old child, according to town officials and media reports. The arrest comes more than four months after the child was found lying in the roadway in a northeast Erie neighborhood on Feb. 15.
According to 9News, police arrested 32-year-old Seth Kirkegaard in connection with the crash. The outlet reports that Kirkegaard faces charges that include careless driving resulting in serious injury or death and leaving the scene of an accident involving death, and that investigators also flagged a separate traffic violation for driving without insurance.
Where And When The Crash Happened
Officers responded around 4:40 p.m. on Feb. 15 to a neighborhood east of Mountain View Boulevard and north of Village Vista Drive, where emergency crews pronounced the child dead at the scene. As reported by Denver7, it was not immediately clear whether the child had been on foot or inside a vehicle when the collision occurred.
How Investigators Zeroed In
Erie detectives pulled surveillance footage from around the neighborhood and quickly identified a vehicle of interest. In a release, the Town of Erie Police Department said investigators were looking for the driver of a white Cadillac Escalade and shared enhanced screenshots gathered from nearby businesses, including a car wash at Village Vista Drive and Highway 7. The department urged anyone with dash-cam or doorbell video to contact police.
Detectives told reporters they were waiting on crime-lab results that could take several more weeks to complete, and police had previously identified a person of interest before making the arrest. 9News also reports that a motorist who first discovered the child stopped, called 911, and stayed on scene to cooperate with investigators.
What The Charges Could Mean
Under Colorado law, leaving the scene of an accident that results in death can be charged as a felony and can carry criminal penalties, and drivers convicted of hit-and-run offenses can also face administrative suspension of their driving privileges. The Colorado Revised Statutes outline drivers' duties at the scene and the statutory classifications for hit-and-run offenses, while the Colorado Department of Revenue notes that the DMV may suspend a license when there is proof a driver failed to stop after a crash causing serious injury or death.
In its release, the Town of Erie Police Department again asked neighbors to review doorbell and dash-cam footage and to call Detective Sergeant Burch at 303-926-2825 with tips. The department said the investigation remains active and that further details will be released as additional inquiries and lab work allow.
The arrested man is now in custody, facing the counts outlined by investigators, and prosecutors will decide whether to file formal charges. Officials have not released additional information about an arraignment or upcoming court date.
