On Wednesday, October 26, 2022, members of the Colorado Springs Police Department, Falcon Division, were dispatched to the area of Vindicator Drive and Winter Haven Drive to investigate a motor vehicle versus bicyclist traffic crash. Officers arrived on the scene and determined that the vehicle involved was traveling west on Vindicator Drive, in the left turn lane at Winter Haven Drive. The bicyclist was traveling east on Vindicator Drive at Winter Haven Drive. The driver of the vehicle failed to yield to the bicyclist and made a left turn in front of the bicyclist. The bicyclist was struck by the passenger side front of the vehicle and was ejected from the bicycle, causing serious injuries to the bicyclist. The bicyclist was treated for injuries on scene by members of CSFD and AMR before being transported to a local hospital with serious life-threatening injuries.
On Thursday, October 29, 2022, the Colorado Springs Police Department was informed that the bicyclist involved in the crash succumbed to their injuries at a local hospital. On Monday, October 31, 2022, the El Paso County Coroner’s Office conducted an autopsy on the deceased bicycle rider. The bicycle rider has been identified as 44-year-old Jocelyn Harris of Colorado Springs. The vehicle’s driver, 60-year-old Haeja Helfrich, has been charged for their involvement. Neither alcohol nor speed is considered a factor in this investigation. This is the 49th fatal traffic crash this year in Colorado Springs. At this same time last year, there were 42 fatal traffic crashes in Colorado Springs.