Man Charged with Vehicular Homicide in Death of Passenger (Cano-Merida)

NEWS RELEASE –

June 14, 2018

Contact: Ken Lane, 720-913-9025

MAN CHARGED WITH VEHICULAR HOMICIDE IN DEATH OF PASSENGER

Denver District Attorney Beth McCann has formally charged a man in connection with Sunday’s car crash resulting in the death of a passenger in the defendant’s vehicle.

Leonardo Cano-Merida (dob: 11-06-1969) is charged with one count of vehicular homicide-
DUI (F3), one count of leaving the scene of an accident-death (F3), one count of vehicular assault-DUI/SBI (F4), one count of leaving the scene of an accident-SBI (F4), and one count of driving under restraint (M).  Charges were filed yesterday.

The charges allege that on June 10, 2018, at approximately S. Federal Boulevard and W. Harvard Avenue, the defendant lost control of the vehicle he was driving, striking and seriously injuring a pedestrian on the sidewalk, then continued to drive his vehicle into a field, where the vehicle rolled over, resulting in the ejection and death of a male passenger. The defendant then allegedly fled the scene and when apprehended exhibited indicia of alcoholic impairment. His driver’s license had been revoked at the time of the crash.

Cano-Merida is scheduled to appear on June 27, 2018, at 8:00 a.m. in courtroom 2300 for 2^nd advisement.

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