Castle Rock police charge bus driver involved in fatal crash

Posted 12/14/18

One week following a Castle Rock crash that left a woman dead, police have charged the second driver involved. Steven Blair, 70, is charged with careless driving causing death and failing to yield …

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Castle Rock police charge bus driver involved in fatal crash

Posted

One week following a Castle Rock crash that left a woman dead, police have charged the second driver involved.

Steven Blair, 70, is charged with careless driving causing death and failing to yield the right of way when turning left. The crash occurred shortly before 7 a.m. Dec. 7 at the intersection of Fifth and Perry streets.

Blair, of Franktown, was driving a school bus with five teenagers on board, according to police. He is suspected of causing a collision with an SUV driven by Barbara Riehl, 92, of Castle Rock.

Joe Cybert, spokesman for the Castle Rock Police Department, said investigators believe Blair was driving east on Fifth Street and attempting to make a left turn onto Perry Street when he pulled out in front of Riehl, who was driving west on Perry.

First responders had to extricate Riehl from her vehicle. She was transported to an area hospital, where she later died of her injuries. No one else was injured.

Epiphany Lutheran Church in Castle Rock posted to its Facebook page the day after the accident asking that its members pray for Riehl's family. The church said Riehl “died with faith in Jesus” and did not wish to have a funeral service. A ceremony was scheduled for Dec. 20 at 10 a.m. at Fort Logan National Ceremony in Denver.

Memorial gifts were being accepted at Epiphany Lutheran Church of Castle Rock. Mt. Zion Lutheran Church of Castle Rock or the Navy Memorial Fund.

Blair was a bus driver for Colorado Early Colleges Network. The charter school system released a statement the day of the accident, calling it “a somber day” for the school community. An inspector from the Colorado Department of Education inspected the bus involved on Nov. 28, according to the statement, and the school did not believe any mechanical issues contributed to the crash.

“We are thankful that our students and bus driver are safe but are heartbroken over the loss of this precious life,” said Chief Executive Administrator Sandi Brown on Dec. 7. “On behalf of everyone at Colorado Early Colleges, our prayers and thoughts go out to the family and those impacted by this tragedy.”

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