A 24-year-old Colorado woman accused of fatally crashing into a cyclist in Eagle County and fleeing the scene was arrested Thursday in Arkansas, according to the Colorado State Patrol.
Sidney Rayne Whitmarsh is suspected of vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, tampering with evidence, careless driving resulting in death and failing to report an accident, according to court records.
Whitmarsh was arrested Thursday in Clarendon, Ark., on a Colorado State Patrol arrest warrant.
The body of 43-year-old Mario Vildozola Romero was found on an embankment off the north side of U.S. 6 in Edwards the afternoon of Jan. 9 surrounded by debris, according to an arrest affidavit.
Romero was reported missing after leaving the Main Street Grill in Edwards on his bike around 1 a.m. on Jan. 7 but not returning home.
Troopers put out an alert for a white Subaru Outback on Jan. 10 after finding parts of a fog lamp at the scene, and multiple community members reported Whitmarsh drove a similar car, according to the affidavit.
A witness reported seeing a car with front end damage and possibly a bike part stuck in the front on Jan. 9 near Edwards. Community members also told troopers that Whitmarsh had abruptly quit her job at a deli on Jan. 7 and not been seen since.
Troopers requested a search warrant and found Whitmarsh’s car, a white 2012 Subaru Outback, parked in her garage with windshield damage “consistent with striking a pedestrian” and debris inside the car, according to the affidavit.
Troopers also used cellphone data to determine Whitmarsh’s phone was in the area of the crash when it occurred.
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