A pedestrian was left with critical injuries Wednesday after being struck by a vehicle on Highway 85 in Commerce City, in a stretch of roadway with no crosswalk nearby. The driver stayed at the scene as police launched an investigation into how the crash unfolded.
The Commerce City Police Department's Traffic Team was called to the 5800 block of Highway 85 following the crash, according to a statement from the Commerce City Police Department. Officers said the pedestrian was transported to a hospital with critical injuries, while the driver involved remained on scene.
Police said their preliminary investigation indicates the pedestrian stepped into the roadway just south of the intersection with East 60th Avenue, an area where there was no crosswalk. That detail, drawn directly from the department's early findings, is the only information released so far about how the collision occurred.
A Stretch of Highway With a Troubled Recent History
Highway 85 through Commerce City and neighboring Brighton has been the site of serious crashes. KDVR reported that a five-vehicle crash in Commerce City killed one person and injured several others.
Other crashes on the corridor illustrate the range of circumstances that have put the highway in the news. KDVR reported that in a separate incident, police arrested a suspected drunk driver after a crash. The outlet also reported a closure of U.S. 85 between 120th and 112th avenues.
Pattern of Pedestrian and Fatal Crashes Nearby
Pedestrians in particular have been hurt or killed along the corridor in recent years. The City of Commerce City said its Traffic Team investigated a fatal DUI crash on Highway 85 at 120th Avenue in the early morning hours of May 20, 2026.
Earlier incidents point to a longer pattern along the same highway. A pedestrian was killed in a 2021 crash.
Commerce City police have not released the identity of the pedestrian or the driver involved in Wednesday's crash, nor have they said whether any citations have been issued. The investigation into how the pedestrian came to step into the roadway without a nearby crosswalk remains ongoing.
