SECURITY-WIDEFIELD, Colo. (KOAA) — Two young teenagers were taken to the hospital with serious injuries Saturday after driving at high speeds down Main Street, losing control, and crashing into the second floor of Iglesia Ni Cristo or Church of Christ around 9:30 p.m.
Police say an investigation into how the crash happened is still ongoing.
For neighbors in the Security- Widefield area, the incident is shocking, but not surprising.
"I heard a huge crash. I thought a train derailed," said Jody Wendlowsky, who has lived in the area for more than 30 years.
Wendlowsky says the stretch of road has been a building problem for years due to speeding and a dangerous curve.
“We don't walk that corner anymore because, it's too dangerous,” said Wendlowsky.
From the back of her home, you can see the empty hole on the second floor of that church.
"I'm just praying that they are okay, that they live, and that the parents don't have to mourn the loss of their children," said Wendlowsky.
Wendlowsky noted the curve along Main Street makes the area especially dangerous, especially with heavy foot traffic nearby.
"It’s really dangerous because of the schools, the park, the kids," said Wendlowsky.
She points out a blind spot on that curve if one is driving too fast.
"A lot of times, they'll be coming around the corner and they don't know the light's red, so they run into people," said Wendlowsky.
Another neighbor, who lives on the northeast corner of Main Street and Norman Drive, wrote to county leaders last year to report that cars have ended up on his property multiple times.
In his letter, the neighbor said the most recent crash at his property was in 2024, causing about $100,000 in damage. He told News5 he had to move out for nearly a year while his home was being fixed.
Wendlowsky vouches for him.
“I mean, the man's house has been run into so many times they put those big boulders out there just to hopefully, you know, if something hit it, slow it down," she said.
Neighbors say they want to see changes, hoping this crash is finally a wake up call for county leaders.
You can read the letter sent to county leaders below:
“Maybe if they put one of those lights, ‘prepare to stop when flashing’ or something before they hit that corner, that might help a lot,” added Wendlowsky.
News5 reached out to Iglesia Ni Cristo for comment. They told us they are holding off on comments until they hear from their minister officiant for next steps in this recovery process.
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