A Douglas County District Court jury has convicted a pickup driver of multiple felonies after he hit and killed a motorcyclist near Sedalia.
Ronald Hargrove, 49, of Parker, was convicted March 22 of “leaving the scene of an accident involving death” as well as “vehicular homicide – reckless driving” in the death of Suzanne Weston of Parker, who was 69.
On Oct. 12, 2017, Weston was riding her motorcycle single file with three other motorcyclists on northbound U.S. 85 in Douglas County. The riders moved into the left-turn only lane and slowed to wait for a green light to run onto Colorado 67 toward Sedalia. Weston was last in line.
A 2010 Dodge Ram pickup driven by Hargrove was northbound on U.S. 85. The truck went from the right lane into the left turn lane and cut off other witnesses in a separate vehicle on scene. The truck hit Weston and continued off the right side of the southbound lanes, through a ditch, onto the frontage road. Weston got out, looked at Weston, then got back in the truck and continued driving on the frontage road, eventually heading southbound on 85.
Witnesses got the license plate number. Hargrove was pulled over and arrested by a Douglas County deputy a short time later. Hargrove admitted to fleeing the scene of the crash due to open warrants for his arrest. His driving privileges in Colorado were suspended at the time.
Weston was taken to the hospital but did not survive her injuries.
“After driving into another human being and mortally wounding her, Hargrove got out and looked at what he had done. Confronted with the decision to be humane and choose personal responsibility over self-preservation, this gutless “man” put himself above the victim he made and the law,” said District Attorney George Brauchler. “He then insisted a jury of his peers force responsibility on him. And they did. Unfortunately, under Colorado’s weak vehicular homicide and hit-and-run laws, there is no promise of prison for this cowardly and homicidal act. Colorado deserves tougher laws. Hargrove deserves prison.”
Sentencing is set for May 28. The presumptive sentencing range for a Class 3 felony is 4-12 years DOC and 2-6 years DOC for a Class 4 felony.