Glendale Police: Burned car found with body inside probably connected to fatal hit and run

GLENDALE, Colo. — A car found engulfed in flames along the shoulder of a Lake County highway with a burned body inside is probably related to a fatal hit and run accident in Glendale on Monday, according to a news release from the Glendale Police Department (GPD).

On Monday, Glendale officers responded to South Cherry Street and South Leetsdale Drive a little after 5:30 p.m. and found a 74-year-old female victim had been hit and killed while crossing the street with her dog.  

Police said the car drove away from the scene.   

Initially, GPD issued a Medina Alert looking for a white 2015 Hyundai Sonata with a broken windshield and heavy front-end damage with Colorado plate 717-ODQ.

RELATED: Glendale Police searching for driver in hit-and-run that killed 70-year-old

Early Wednesday morning, Lake County Sheriff's Office (LCSO), along with local fire crews, were called to reports of a car on fire off Highway 91 near mile marker 8.5; near the turn off to the Climax Mine.

Fire officials said they found the white 2015 Hyundai Sonata with Colorado plate 717-ODQ engulfed in flames along the shoulder of the highway, according to a news release from LCSO.

Upon further investigation, fire officials found a body located inside the burned car. 

LCSO didn't have any additional information to share, but said more details would be available over the coming days and is working with GPD on the investigation. 

RELATED: Body found inside burned car in Lake County. 

GPD also said the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the district attorney's office are assisting the investigation.  

CBI officials confirm that an autopsy on the burned body found inside the car will happen on Friday.  

Anyone with information on the incident or vehicle is asked to call Lake County Sheriff’s Office at 719-486-1249 or Glendale Police at 303-759-1511.

Medina Alerts were signed into law on March 25, 2014 and went into effect on Dec. 30, 2014. They’re named for Jose Medina, a 21-year-old valet driver who was killed by a hit-and-run driver in 2011.

Medina Alerts are issued following hit-and-run crashes where someone is seriously hurt or killed. Law enforcement also must have sufficient information about the suspect or the suspect’s vehicle, such as a license plate number and the vehicle’s make, style and color.

> More information about Medina Alerts can be found here.

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