Family of Denver locksmith allegedly killed by truck driver says suspect “didn’t do it on accident”
By Tori Mason
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DENVER (KCNC) — A Texas man accused of running over a Denver father with his semi truck and leaving the scene has been arrested. Guillermo Duran was a locksmith and a father to five girls.
He was sent out Wednesday morning to answer a service call in Arapahoe County. His customer was allegedly Erick Mejia, a truck driver from Texas.
According to police, the men argued over payment.
Mejia claims he started to drive away after Duran hit his semi with a club. He struck his van as he left the scene but told police he was unsure at first if he struck Duran.
When he looked back, he told police he saw Duran injured on the ground. He called 911 and hung up. Mejia called 911 again while proceeding to make a delivery, and took off.
Deputies responded to their location and found Duran, 55, on the ground. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
“He hopped into his semi truck and ran over my dad and left him there. This man didn’t do it on accident,” said Chelsy, Duran’s daughter.
Deputies tracked Mejia’s semi going southbound on Interstate 25 as he headed toward El Paso, Texas. Fountain police officers were able to stop the truck south of Colorado Springs and detained Mejia.
Investigators with the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office arrested Erick Mejia, 31, on suspicion of vehicular homicide. He is currently being held at the Arapahoe County Detention Facility on a $100,000 bond.
Duran’s family says Mejia shouldn’t have received a bond at all.
“His first instinct was to flee, what makes you think he won’t do it again?” said his daughter, Leslie. “He will try to disappear. And there would be no justice for my dad.”
Leslie says her father wanted to be buried in Mexico near his mother. The family is raising money to make that happen.
There is surveillance video of the incident and his family is hoping that will help prove this wasn’t an accident.
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