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No charges filed after car strikes pedestrian

No charges will be filed for either party involved in the car and pedestrian collision that sent one Fraser woman to the hospital in critical condition in mid-June.

Officials from the 14th Judicial District Attorney’s Office said in a statement Monday that they were declining all charges in the matter.

The statement follows a full investigation conducted by the Fraser-Winter Park Police Department that was later submitted to the district attorney’s office for review and consideration of criminal charges in the incident that occurred at about 2:38 a.m. June 19.



At that time, a KIA sedan, driven by 24-year-old Tabernash resident Trevor Church, was traveling westbound on U.S. Highway 40 when it struck 25-year-old Fraser resident Tait Erichsen. When the incident occurred, Church stopped, contacted authorities and rendered aid to Erichsen.

“Charges against Mr. Church are being declined because the crash investigation reveals no impairment and no illegal conduct,” the district attorney’s office stated.



No excessive speeds were revealed during the crash and Church’s actions did not contribute to the incident, the office added.

The investigation and crash reconstruction revealed that the crash was unavoidable.

Deputy District Attorney Kathryn Dowdell also declined to press any charges against Erichsen, citing “prosecutorial discretion” and out of “consideration of the injuries she sustained.”

The investigation into the crash revealed the largest contributing factor as Erichsen being in the lanes of traffic between two intersections that include pedestrian crossings, which is a violation of the traffic code, according to Dowdell. She added that there were several other contributing factors without specifying.

Following the incident, Fraser-Winter Park Police noted Erichsen was wearing dark clothing at the time of the incident and, suddenly walked in front of the KIA sedan just prior to the crash.

Erichsen was airlifted to St. Anthony’s Hospital in Lakewood for treatment of numerous injuries. Her condition was initially listed as critical and was later upgraded to stable.


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