At least one person died and several others were hurt Saturday morning when a pickup truck veered onto a sidewalk during an annual bicycle festival in Colorado, authorities said.
The Chevrolet pickup drove onto the crowded sidewalk around 11:45 a.m. in Old Town Fort Collins, striking multiple pedestrians before continuing on and crashing into a tree, according to Fort Collins Police Services.
Investigators said they do not believe the pedestrians were deliberately targeted in the crash.
Six people, including the driver, were taken to a hospital with a range of injuries. Officials did not immediately release details about their conditions.
One person, whose name had not yet been released, was later pronounced dead, police said.
“This was a tragic day for many in our community,” Fort Collins Police Chief Jeff Swoboda said in a press release.
Swoboda said the department understands the toll the incident will take on the victims, witnesses and first responders, noting that “victim advocates are supporting those involved in what happened today.”
“I’m appreciative of the quick response of our officers, the assistance of our emergency partners, and the community members who helped during this incident,” the chief said.
The fatal crash took place less than a mile away from the Tour de Fat bicycle parade, which draws in large crowds annually to the area, according to 9News.
Police said there were numerous bystanders and patrol officers in the area at the time of the collision because of the event.
The FCPS Collision Reconstruction and Scene Handling Team are investigating the circumstances leading up to the fatal collision — including if impairment was a factor.
An initial investigation determined that the truck driver reversed from a parking spot on Mountain Avenue and struck another vehicle.
The truck then drove forward onto the sidewalk, striking multiple pedestrians before colliding with a tree and coming to a stop.
Authorities closed the site of the crash for around six hours while investigators worked the scene.
The Post reached out to FCPS but did not immediately hear back.
