COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Around 9:41 p.m. on Sunday, Aug 4, the Colorado Springs Police Department responded to a traffic crash involving a car and a pedestrian at Hancock Expressway and Jet Wing Drive.
Upon arriving on the scene, officers and medical personnel found the pedestrian and discovered that the vehicle involved had driven off after the crash.
The pedestrian was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.
After the Major Crash Team assumed responsibility for the investigation, an initial investigation found that the pedestrian was crossing southbound across the street when they were hit by a vehicle traveling westbound.
On Aug 6, the pedestrian succumbed to their injuries. On Aug 9, the El Paso County Coroner's Office performed an autopsy and identified the pedestrian as 31-year-old Nicholas Bates.
On Aug 9, an arrest warrant was issued for 31-year-old Landis Bryant Jamal Hester. Hester was taken into custody on Aug 19 and charged with an Accident involving Death - Hit and Run, Motor Vehicle Theft, and other traffic-related charges.
This is the 35th traffic fatality in Colorado Springs this year. At this time last year, there were 27 traffic fatalities. In the past 365 days, there have been 58 traffic fatalities in Colorado Springs.
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