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DU basketball player arrested in connection with fatal crash in south Denver

denver police tape.jpg
Posted at 9:26 PM, Jan 23, 2023
and last updated 2023-01-23 23:26:15-05

DENVER — A University of Denver basketball player — and brother of a Denver Nuggets player — was arrested in connection with a crash early Sunday that left one person dead.

On Sunday around 1:54 a.m., officers with the Denver Police Department contacted Coban Talib Porter, 21, at a crash scene at the intersection of S. University Boulevard and E. Buchtel Boulevard in Denver, according to a probable cause statement.

Porter is the brother of Michael Porter Jr. on the Denver Nuggets.

Based on the investigation, police found that Porter had been driving about 50 mph eastbound on E. Buchtel Boulevard and ran a red light at University. He crashed into another driver, who was headed northbound on University, according to a probable cause statement.

The victim driver was declared deceased at the scene. She was identified on Monday by the Denver Office of the Medical Examiner as Katharina Rothman, 42. A passenger in that car was seriously injured.

As police spoke with Porter, they noticed "he displayed bloodshot and watery eyes, slurred and mumbling speech, and the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath," according to the probable cause statement.

He underwent a blood draw at a local hospital. Those results were pending as of the probable cause statement writing.

As of Sunday evening, Porter was on an investigative hold for vehicular homicide.

Porter bonded out on Sunday, according to Kurt Barnes with the DPD.

He has a first advisement set for Monday.