On July 5, 2025, the Colorado Springs Police Department received a call for service regarding a crash on South Circle Drive on the bridge over Hancock Expressway. Upon arrival at the scene, it was determined that two vehicles were traveling southbound on Circle Drive. Vehicle one had two passengers unrestrained in the bed of the pickup truck. Vehicle two struck the rear end of the pickup truck.
The two passengers were ejected from the back of the pick-up truck. One was transported from the scene with serious injury, and the second passenger had medical intervention but succumbed to their injuries on the scene. The driver of the second vehicle was arrested on the scene for DUI.
On July 7, 2025, the El Paso County Coroner’s Office conducted an autopsy of the deceased passenger of the pickup truck. The deceased passenger has been identified as 20-year-old Fernando Gallardo-Franco.
On July 18, 2025, CSPD was notified that the other passenger from the back of the pickup truck had died due to the injuries they sustained during the crash. On July 18, 2025, the El Paso County Coroner’s Office conducted an autopsy of the second victim involved in this crash. That victim has been identified as 19-year-old Jorge Cruz.
The driver of the other vehicle has been identified as 20-year-old Chase Antonio Chason. He has been charged with Vehicular Homicide and Driving Under the Influence. A booking photo of Mr. Chason will be released on the CSPD X account.
This is the 24th and 25th traffic fatality in Colorado Springs this year. At this same time last year, there were 31 traffic fatalities in Colorado Springs. That means in the past 365 days, there have been 43 traffic-related fatalities in Colorado Springs.