Aurora police have announced the arrest of a 19-year-old man in connection with a tragic hit-and-run accident that resulted in the death of a 16-year-old boy riding his scooter.
The incident occurred Friday night in a marked bike lane on a suburban street in southeast Aurora.
Daveon Javon-James Jackson, a resident of Aurora, was taken into custody shortly before 7 p.m. Saturday by the police’s Traffic Investigations Unit.
According to Aurora police spokesperson Joe Moylan, Jackson faces several serious charges, including leaving the scene of a crash resulting in death, careless driving resulting in death, hit-and-run, and failing to report a crash to police.
Moylan credited community tips and a thorough investigative process for leading to Jackson’s identification as the primary suspect.
The police received reports around 11:15 p.m. Friday of a hit-and-run victim in the area of East Wesley Drive and South Dunkirk Street.
Upon arrival, officers found the 16-year-old boy conscious but critically injured.
He was immediately transported to a local hospital, where his condition deteriorated rapidly, resulting in his death shortly after arrival.
Early investigations indicated that the boy was riding his scooter north in the bike lane on Wesley when he was struck from behind by a vehicle traveling in the same direction.
After the collision, the driver fled the scene, likely heading north on Dunkirk toward East Jewell Avenue.
Residents reported hearing a loud vehicle speeding away at the time of the fatal crash, prompting police to encourage locals to check outdoor security cameras for any footage of the incident.
In an impressive turnaround, police were able to identify and arrest Jackson less than 20 hours after the crash occurred.
Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain praised the diligence of the officers and detectives involved in the investigation.
He stated, “The swift arrest in this case is a credit to our officers and detectives who conducted a thorough and tenacious investigation in pursuit of the person responsible for the tragic and senseless loss of a young member of our community.”
Chamberlain added that the case could have turned into another life lost without justice if not for critical community input and the use of video technology from the Aurora Police Department’s Real-Time Information Center.
Two teenagers noticed media reports about the fatal crash and reached out to investigators.
They provided authorities with a detailed description of a suspect vehicle they had seen speeding in the area around the time of the incident.
This description was instrumental in identifying the car, leading the Real-Time Information Center to determine it was a blue 2014 Dodge Charger.
Investigators then traced the path of the car to uncover where it exited Aurora and entered Denver.
Through extensive efforts, officers ultimately found the vehicle abandoned in a parking lot of a Denver apartment complex.
Upon investigation, police discovered the car was registered to an address in Aurora.
Detectives subsequently went to that address, where they located and arrested Jackson.
As of Sunday, Jackson is being held at the city’s detention center.
Authorities are encouraging anyone with further information regarding the incident to reach out by calling Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.
Tipsters can remain anonymous and are eligible for a reward of up to $2,000.
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