Background: The area along Interstate 25 in Greenwood Village, Colo., where Luis Enrique-Pena allegedly killed another driver while going 144 mph in a BMW (Google Maps). Inset: In this March 15, 2017, file photo, an Uber car drives through LaGuardia Airport in New York (AP Photo/Seth Wenig).
A "very drunk" Colorado teen took a BMW out for a late-night joyride, reaching speeds over 140 mph before slamming into another vehicle and killing its driver, then fleeing and calling an Uber to get away, police say.
Luis Enrique-Pena, 19, of Westminster, was found at a family member's home hours after the Aug. 30 crash covered in blood, dirt and dust, according to an arrest affidavit obtained this week by local NBC affiliate KUSA.
Enrique-Pena allegedly admitted to police that he left a party in an Uber earlier that night, got home, and then decided to "drive around" in his family member's BMW despite being intoxicated. The affidavit says Enrique-Pena confessed to drinking before getting behind the wheel and while driving.
"At approximately 2:26 a.m., Greenwood Village police responded to a two-vehicle hit-and-run collision on northbound I-25, north of East Orchard Road," a press release says. "Upon arrival, officers found an adult male driver unresponsive. Despite life-saving efforts, the driver was pronounced deceased at the scene. The other driver [Enrique-Pena] fled before officers arrived."
According to the affidavit, Enrique-Pena was spotted by witnesses climbing out of the passenger side of the wrecked BMW after hitting the victim's car from behind and then walking along the shoulder. He allegedly told police that he called an Uber to pick him up after jumping a highway barrier and hiding near a parking garage.
Officers tracked Enrique-Pena down around 5:40 a.m. after contacting the BMW's registered owner, who is related to him. Another relative told investigators that "no one else would have taken it" except for Enrique-Pena, KUSA reports.
When they found Enrique-Pena, officers reported that he appeared "very drunk" and possibly injured. He was taken to a local hospital and evaluated, but staff found no evidence at the time linking him to the wreck and he was released from custody pending the investigation.
Police interviewed Enrique-Pena on Sept. 2 and reported seeing bruising on his shoulder and chest consistent with injuries caused by a seat belt, according to the affidavit. On Sept. 3, Enrique-Pena's sister went to the Greenwood Village Police Department headquarters and allegedly said, "My brother is here to confess about an accident."
Enrique-Pena was arrested and charged with vehicular homicide, DUI, hit-and-run, and driving with a revoked license. Data from the BMW's event data recorder shows that Enrique-Pena did not brake before the collision and he was traveling at 144 mph in a 65 mph zone.
The teen is due in court on Oct. 20 for a preliminary hearing.
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