23-year-old arrested for hit-and-run crash that killed cyclist Sunday in Boulder County
Dante Johnson was arrested Monday at about 9 a.m. by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, which arrested the man on an unrelated warrant. He is alleged to have been the driver of a blue Toyota Highlander that hit and killed a bicyclist at the intersection of 95th Street and Avocet Lane at about noon on Sunday.
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The cyclist was transported to a local hospital after the crash, where he was pronounced dead. He has not yet been identified.
'It was a beautiful day for a cyclist and his friends. It ended in tragedy,' Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty told FOX31's Greg Nieto. 'The penalty's actually higher for leaving the scene than it is for the crash that took the person's life.'
The Colorado State Patrol said the Highlander fled the scene of the crash, and later on Sunday, the vehicle was found abandoned in Clement Park in Littleton.
On Wednesday, the Boulder County District Attorney's Office filed charges against Johnson. He now faces charges of failing to remain at the scene/give information, failing to provide aid after an accident involving death, and failure to notify police of a road accident.
'Statewide, we have too many hit-and-run incidents. It's a Class 3 felony in Colorado. It carries a very serious penalty of 4 to 12 years in state prison,' Doughtery told Nieto.
In a press release, Doughtery said that crashes involving cyclists and pedestrians are a priority in his jurisdiction.
'So, I deeply appreciate the rapid response and thorough investigation by the members of the Colorado State Patrol,' Doughtery said. 'Also, the Colorado State Patrol immediately notified our DA Vehicular Response Team, which is very helpful. Today's arrest is a direct result of the immediate actions taken by the Colorado State Patrol and other law enforcement partners in response to this heartbreaking loss of life. As the criminal prosecution now moves forward, our office is committed to fighting for justice for the victim and his family.'
CSP said that additional charges will be filed for Johnson's conduct and actions that led to the victim's death. He is currently being held at the Arapahoe County Jail, and according to court records, he faces a $100,000 cash or surety bond.
Johnson is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday morning.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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New York Post
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Yahoo
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