Fernando Gallardo-Franco and Jorge Cruz die in fatal Colorado Springs car crash
Fatal Colorado Springs car crash death of Fernando Gallardo-Franco
The Colorado Springs law enforcement agency announced today that the county’s official investigator has released the names of the two people who were involved in the serious truck collision on the South Circle Drive overpass above Hancock Expressway from several weeks ago. Both individuals lost their lives in the incident.
According to local authorities, emergency responders arrived at the accident site on July 5 after being dispatched to the area. They discovered that a pickup truck was traveling southbound when it was struck from behind by another automobile. The two people inside the back of the pickup truck were not wearing seatbelts and were thrown from the vehicle during the impact. One person was transported to a medical institution with significant injuries, but unfortunately, they did not survive. The other individual died at the scene despite medical intervention.
The official investigator conducted an autopsy on the person who died at the scene on Monday, July 7. This examination confirmed that the deceased was a 20-year-old named Fernando Gallardo-Franco.
Separately, on Friday, July 18, it was reported that the person taken to the hospital later passed away due to their injuries. On the same day, the official investigator performed an autopsy and identified this individual as a 19-year-old named Jorge Cruz.
The driver of the other vehicle involved in the collision was apprehended by law enforcement officers at the scene. They identified the suspect as a 20-year-old named Chase Antonio Chason. Charges were filed against him, including vehicular homicide and driving under the influence due to impairment.
This incident represents the 24th and 25th traffic-related fatalities in Colorado Springs during the year 2025. Comparatively, at the same stage in 2024, the city experienced 31 such tragic events.
