[blparent] News Article about the Tragedy

[Jo Elizabeth Pinto]

Blind man killed when car slides into Littleton bus stop; two women injured
By Howard Pankratz 
The Denver Post

Three blind adult students on their way to a holiday party were struck by a car that slid on ice near a bus stop where the three were waiting. One died from his injuries.

The man who died was identified this afternoon by the Arapahoe County Coroner as David Nanney, who had been a student at the Colorado Center for the Blind since June.

The accident occurred on the southeast corner of the intersection of West Mineral Avenue and South Utica Drive.

Lt. Sean Dugan, spokesman for the Littleton Police Department, said that the three adults were waiting to take a bus to the Colorado Center for the Blind, 2233 W. Shepperd Ave., in Littleton.

Dugan said that ice on the street is believed to be the major contributing factor to the driver losing control.

All three victims were transported to Littleton Adventist Hospital, Dugan said.

Dugan said the driver, a 21-year-old woman, was traveling north on South Utica Drive and was turning east on Mineral Avenue when she lost control of her car and slammed into the bus stop hitting the people.

He said the three people hit lived near the bus stop along with a number of other people who attend the Colorado Center for the Blind.

"The students and staff of the CCB are in great shock and grieving," said Julie Deden, Executive Director of the CCB. "Our love, prayers, and tremendous sorrow go out to the family and friends of the student we have lost and we are praying hard for the two women still in the hospital."

The three were waiting for the bus to take them to school for a holiday party, according to a release from CCB.

"At the Center, we are first and foremost a family and we will love and support one another through this great tragedy which has struck us at a time of year normally reserved for joy and celebration," Deden said in the statement.

Grief counselors are at the school now. The names of the victims have not been released.

Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz at denverpost.com