The death of a Colorado state senator has taken a stark and tragic turn.
Officials said Friday that Senator Faith Winter was responsible for the highway crash that killed her last November, with an autopsy revealing that her blood alcohol concentration was more than twice the legal limit at the time of her death.
Winter, 45, was driving south on Interstate 25 near Denver on Nov. 26 when the Hyundai Ioniq 5 she was driving slammed into the back of a Ford F-350 that had stopped in traffic, according to the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office. She was the only person in her vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Initial reports described the incident as a five-vehicle crash. A subsequent investigation determined there were actually two separate collisions, with Winter’s crash occurring second. Three people were injured overall, though none suffered life-threatening injuries.
Investigators said the truck Winter struck did not have visible rear taillights at the time of the collision, but its driver was nonetheless operating the vehicle “with due regard” and was not injured. The sheriff’s office concluded that Winter was at fault for the second crash.
An autopsy released by the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office listed Winter’s cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries sustained in the collision. Toxicology testing showed her blood alcohol concentration was 0.185 — more than double Colorado’s legal limit of 0.08 for driving under the influence.
The findings cast a harsh light on the final moments of a lawmaker whose career was defined by public service and progressive policy wins.
Winter joined the Colorado Senate in 2018 after previously serving in the state House and as a city council member. She represented the state’s 24th district and later the 25th following redistricting. Over her career, she became known for aggressive environmental advocacy, including legislation that raised billions of dollars for transportation projects through fees on gas and diesel fuel purchases.
She was also a leading voice behind Colorado’s paid family leave program, introducing early legislation that laid the groundwork for the statewide benefit years before it became law.
The investigation’s conclusion does not diminish the loss felt by colleagues and constituents, but it does complicate the legacy of a public figure whose life ended in a preventable tragedy.
