ARVADA, Colo. — An Arvada community is in mourning after a 10-year-old boy was hit and killed while crossing the street at a crosswalk near W. 93rd Drive and Candelas Parkway this weekend. While police are investigating, neighbors and family question the safety of that busy intersection.
A memorial is growing in the median in memory of 10-year-old Austin Lobato, a little boy who loved football and loved protecting his little sister.
Chad Lobato, Austin's father, said he and his wife knew their son was riding his e-scooter two blocks back home around 7:30 Saturday night, and then they heard sirens.
"We told him to call us when he was on his way. He said, 'Mom, Dad, I'm leaving. I'll be home soon,'" said Chad Lobato, who said his wife drove to where she saw his phone was. "When she got on site, she saw the paramedics doing CPR on Austin, loading him into the ambulance and taking him off to the hospital."
Arvada Police were at the scene Monday, taking drone images of the scene. They say a car hit Austin in the crosswalk on Candelas, and that the driver is cooperating with detectives.
"Right now we're just trying to discern what's the proximate cause of the accident, what all the factors may be and, again, compile that and turn that over to the District Attorney's Office," said David Snelling, an Arvada police spokesman.
Meanwhile, neighbors are now questioning the safety of the busy intersection in a rapidly growing community.
Eric Brickle recently warned his daughter about the danger.
"It is just, it's fast. And it's the one spot where I'm really super careful on my bike," he said. "I think it's a very dangerous intersection."
To make matters worse, the crosswalk stripes have been worn off in the westbound lanes, and there is no sign indicating a crosswalk at that intersection.
While our crews were crossing, multiple cars sped through the unmarked westbound lanes of the crosswalk.
In a statement, the city of Arvada did not respond to questions about the worn off crosswalk markings, but acknowledged: "A high volume of questions and concerns from the community since the accident" about the intersection.
A city spokeswoman states that in the last five years, police have had no accidents reported at that intersection. However, the city states that the intersection design will be reviewed once the accident investigation is complete.
"There was a post I saw this morning that said, 'We need to work on the crosswalk and get more awareness and lights, whatever it is,' and they wanted started a hashtag 'Austin Lights,'" said Chad Lobato. "As much as I don't want my son to be a hashtag, there has got to be not other parents who have to go through this, please."
Meanwhile, parents in the Three Creek community received a note from Austin's school informing them of the accident and grief counseling services.
A GoFundMe campaign has been established to pay the medical and funeral expenses for the Lobato family. To contribute, click here.
The family said the outpouring of love and support from the community has helped them through this difficult time. However, Chad Lobato said, there is only one thing they are asking of their community:
"They need to hold their loved ones, they need to tell them 'I love you,'" said Lobato. "You never know when the last one is the last one."