The Denver Office of the Medical Examiner has identified the two people who were killed in a rollover crash on Interstate 70 at I-225 early Sunday morning that closed the highway for hours and left three others injured.
Sean Moler, 21, and Brandi Wilson, 24, were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. The medical examiner says they died of blunt force injuries.
Wilson and Moler both grew up in Bennett, according to their former school Superintendent, Robin Purdy.
Purdy said Moler graduated Bennett High School in 2015. She said he was a track star, who ran hurdles and set several school records. Purdy said Moler was a very positive student, always willing to help in the classroom, and a role model in sports and academics for other students.
Purdy said Wilson graduated from Bennett High School in 2012. Teachers remember her as a friendly student who was part of a very close knit class. Purdy said Wilson played volleyball for her school, but also coacher younger players through a local rec center in Bennett.
Purdy said after Wilson finished college, she worked as a para-professional in the Bennett School District and in Denver.
The driver who Denver Police say caused the crash has been identified as 39-year-old Ernie Crawley Junior.
Police said Crawley appeared impaired after the crash, and according to the probable cause statement, was slurring his speech, had bloodshot eyes and his breath had a strong smell of alcohol.
Doug Schepman with the Denver Police Department says the crash happened shortly after 2:30 a.m. on Sunday.
According to Schepman, a silver sedan driven by Crawley was in the left lane of traffic. There was also a woman in the car, police say.
Moler and Wilson were inside a dark sedan that was driving in the center lane. Another man was inside the vehicle, but he hasn’t been identified.
Schepman says Crawley merged into the center lane of I-70, hitting the dark sedan and the two vehicles to roll over.
The identities of the three people taken to the hospital have not been released.
