AURORA | A man killed in a car accident Wednesday was not a pedestrian as investigators initially believed, but was a passenger in the Chevrolet Impala involved in the crash, police said Wednesday.
The crash happened around 10 p.m. near East Kentucky Avenue and South Buckley Road.
Police said a 2010 silver Impala was headed south on Buckley when the driver drove onto the sidewalk on the west side of the street a short distance north of Kentucky.
At the intersection, the car slammed into light pole, police said.
Police at first believed that Faison Eriven, 19, of Denver, was standing near the light pole and was struck by the Impala.
But Wednesday morning, police said Eriven was actually in the car’s back seat at the time of the crash and was ejected in the crash.
After the impact the driver, Alufundi Jolaoso, 21, of Aurora, and another passenger, Tulanda Fuka, 22, of Aurora, fled the scene, police said.
Witnesses who told police Eriven was a pedestrian were actually the driver’s friends and lied to investigators, police said.
Aurora police Sgt. William Revelle said the two witnesses also told investigators at first that they couldn’t give a description of the driver, Revelle said.
“They were just lying about everything for no reason,” he said.
Jolaoso was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and careless driving resulting in death, police said.
Fuka has not been charged with any crimes related to the crash but was held on charges from a separate case, police said.
Additional charges could be filed once the investigation is complete, police said, including against the initial witnesses for lied to officers.
As for the crash itself, Revelle said investigators aren’t sure exactly what happened.
“It’s going to take a long time to figure that out,” he said.
If tests show alcohol or excessive speed were involved, Jolaoso could face additional charges, he said.
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