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Tag

Christopher Tarr

Christopher Tarr

40 years for DUI driver who killed man in Aurora crosswalk

An Aurora man who was driving drunk when he hit and killed a 22-year-old man in a crosswalk has been sentenced to 40 years in prison.

Christopher Tarr

Christopher Tarr


Christopher Tarr, 42, was convicted by a jury on Dec. 12 of murder in the second degree, attempted murder in the second degree, two counts of vehicular homicide, driving under the influence and reckless driving. He was sentenced Jan. 26.

On Aug. 21, 2016, Tarr was driving drunk at 11:56 pm when he ran a red light at the intersection of South Chambers Road and East Iliff Avenue in Aurora. Based on traffic camera footage it was determined that Tarr entered the intersection at over 67 miles per hour (the posted speed limit in the area is 40 miles per hour). Dalton McCreary was crossing the street with the light in the crosswalk with his best friend.

McCreary saw Tarr’s Toyota 4-Runner coming at them and tried to get himself and his friend out of the way; his last act was to push the friend to safety before being struck.

After the crash, Tarr was seen by witnesses attempting to leave the scene. When officers arrived, Tarr claimed he had not been drinking and that another car caused the accident. Traffic camera video disproved his story. Tarr’s blood alcohol content was determined to be .30 – .32 g/100ml at the time he struck McCreary; nearly four times the legal limit.

The friend received a minor injury; McCreary was killed. The courtroom at sentencing was packed with family members of the victims and representatives from Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Several of McCreary’s family members addressed the court to ask for justice and to remember and love the kind, happy young man, Dalton McCreary, that they raised, grew up with, or knew as a friend. Several family members pointed out the contrast between the actions of McCreary, seeming to give his life for his best friend, and the defendant, attempting to flee from the scene before police arrived.

Because the defendant had a prior conviction, Chief Deputy District Attorney John Kellner focused his sentencing argument on deterrence. Documents submitted to the court showed that the defendant had previously attended a Mother Against Drunk Driving victim impact panel, a proceeding often mandated for DUI offenders, designed to confront them with real-life victims who have been affected by drunk driving.

“In Colorado, drunk drivers like Tarr continue to kill and maim the innocent. Tarr knew better. Tarr had a prior conviction that required him to take classes and attend a MADD victim impact panel. He knew well the risks drunk driving creates in our community, but he didn’t care. He didn’t care so much he tried to get away after he ran over the victim,” said District Attorney George H Brauchler. “Prison is the right outcome and the right message for those among us who continue to put our loved ones at risk by driving drunk.”

Arapahoe District Judge Ben Leutwyler cited to the defendant’s prior traffic history, which includes one proven DUI and other instances of leaving the scene of crashes, as reasons for the sentence. Kellner encouraged the judge to impose a severe sanction as a way to give meaning to the terrible loss of a young man like McCreary; the court agreed, telling Tarr that his actions illustrated his indifference to the lives and safety of others.

Chief Deputy District Attorney John Kellner said: “The judge delivered a powerful message to this defendant and to the community that we will not tolerate those who repeatedly put innocent drivers and pedestrians at risk by the selfish decision to drink and drive. Like all deaths caused by DUI drivers, this was an entirely avoidable tragedy. I hope this sentence is a wake-up call for anyone who thinks it’s no big deal to get behind the wheel when they’re drunk or high.”

Deputy District Attorney Rory Devlin, who prosecuted the case with Kellner, said this of the sentence: “For less than $15 for an Uber, this defendant could have prevented a senseless murder. Justice is that he must spend decades in prison contemplating that choice, and reckoning the untold joy and accomplishment he robbed from Dalton McCreary at only 22 years of age.”

40 years for DUI driver who killed man in Aurora crosswalk was last modified: January 30th, 2018 by Eric Ross
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Drunk driver who killed man in crosswalk guilty of Murder 2

An Aurora man who was driving drunk when he hit and killed a 22-year-old man in a crosswalk has been convicted of second-degree murder.

Christopher Tarr, 42, will be sentenced Jan. 25 for killing Dalton McCreary, 22.

On Aug. 21, 2016, Tarr was driving drunk when he ran a red light at the intersection of South Chambers Road and East Iliff Avenue in Aurora. McCreary was crossing the street with the light in the crosswalk with his friend.

McCreary saw Tarr’s Toyota 4-Runner coming at them and tried to get himself and his friend out of the way.

The friend received a minor injury; McCreary was killed.

“I commend the jury for seeing that this case was more than another tragic drunk driving fatality. This was a murder occasioned by the conduct of a repeat drunk driver,” said District Attorney George Brauchler. “DUI is the one crime from which we cannot shield our families, unless we choose to live in a cave. All who walk and drive our roads are protected from injury and death only by signs, lights, paint on the roads, and the trust that drivers will obey them. Here, Tarr selfishly engaged in lethal behavior, killing an innocent man. There is never an excuse for a drunk driving death, but in this case, the defendant had been explicitly made aware of the consequences of drunk driving. He just didn’t care.”

Brauchler added: “This solid verdict is the product of strong police work, appropriately aggressive prosecution, and a community that recognizes the importance of ending drunk driving and its growing body count in our state.”

“The last time this defendant got caught drinking and driving, he ran into a bunch of cars and a house,” said Senior Deputy District Attorney John Kellner, who prosecuted the case with Deputy District Attorney Rory Devlin. “This time he senselessly killed a young man in a cross walk. I’m thankful for the jury returning a verdict that tells him it was murder.”

“The defendant, Christopher Tarr, ended the life of Dalton McCreary in a murderous act of unspeakable disregard for the lives and safety of everyone on the road with him that night,” Devlin said during his closing argument.

On Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2017, an Arapahoe District Court jury found Tarr guilty of Murder 2 in McCreary’s death and Attempted Murder 2 in the injuries to his friend. The top count is a Class 2 felony. The jury also found Tarr guilty of DUI, reckless driving, careless driving and two counts of vehicular homicide.

The presumptive sentencing range for second-degree murder is 16-48 years in the Department of Corrections.

Drunk driver who killed man in crosswalk guilty of Murder 2 was last modified: December 12th, 2017 by Eric Ross
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