A 38-year-old man is facing charges after Thornton Police say he turned northbound onto Huron Street, collided with a motorcyclist, and then fled the scene just before 8 p.m. on Sept. 11 at the intersection of Thornton Parkway and Huron Street. The motorcyclist was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries and died three days later, on Monday, after which charges against the driver, Genaro Rubio Barron, were amended.
According to the Denver Gazette, Rubio Barron turned himself in to police the day after the crash and identified himself as the driver of the truck involved. Investigators say his pickup truck showed damage consistent with the collision. He initially faced charges of careless driving, leaving the scene of a crash that caused serious injury, and driving without a license — a charge sheet that will likely be amended now that the victim has died. Rubio Barron turned his northbound pickup left onto westbound Thornton Parkway directly into the path of the southbound motorcyclist, and the charges were amended after the victim's death on Sept. 14.
The bond details in this case have drawn scrutiny. Court records cited by the same station show Rubio Barron's bond was initially set at $500 cash, before a judge reduced it at arraignment to $1,000 surety or $100 cash — and he posted that $100 bond and was released, all before the victim died. The Adams County Coroner has not yet released the motorcyclist's identity but is expected to do so in the coming days.
A Familiar and Dangerous Intersection
This is not the first fatal hit-and-run at Thornton Parkway and Huron Street this year. In February, 14-year-old Jayden Marrujo was struck and killed while riding a motorized bike at the same intersection by a driver who fled the scene, according to the Denver Gazette's earlier reporting, which noted a 23-year-old driver was later charged in that case.
The corridor's troubled safety record isn't a coincidence, at least according to city planners. Thornton's planning materials describe its High-Injury Network and discuss left-turn and broadside crash types.
What Charges Could Rubio Barron Face
Under Colorado Revised Statutes § 42-4-1601, leaving the scene of a traffic accident that results in death is a Class 3 felony, according to CGH Injury Lawyers, which notes a conviction carries a mandatory sentence of four to 12 years in state prison, fines up to $750,000, and driver's license revocation. Colorado also recently enacted a law effective September 1 that allows some fatal crashes to be charged as criminally negligent homicide, a Class 5 felony, as reported by CBS News.
A Rough Year for Colorado Motorcyclists
The crash adds to a grim statewide trend. The Colorado Department of Transportation recorded 165 motorcycle fatalities in 2024, the highest annual total in state history, with motorcyclists accounting for nearly 24% of all traffic deaths despite making up just 3% of registered vehicles. The Denver Gazette has also published earlier coverage of statewide crash data. Motorcycle safety, including helmet use, remains a separate concern.
Thornton Police used automated Flock license plate reader technology in the earlier Jayden Marrujo case. Anyone with information about last week's crash is asked to contact Thornton Police at 720-977-5069.
