Dem Senator Killed In Motor Vehicle Accident Over Thanksgiving

A Colorado state senator was killed Wednesday evening in a violent multi-vehicle crash that left three others injured and shut down a major highway during rush hour. State Sen. Faith Winter, a Democrat and longtime fixture in the Colorado legislature, was the lone fatality in the five-car pileup, according to statements from the Colorado Senate Democratic Caucus and reporting from the New York Post.

“We are devastated to learn of the passing of our colleague and friend, Senator Faith Winter. Today, our caucus grieves the loss of a dedicated public servant whose commitment to the people of Colorado never wavered,” Colorado Senate President James Coleman and Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez said in a joint statement.

The deadly collision occurred on Interstate 25 near East Dry Creek Road, roughly 16 miles southeast of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. Authorities say three additional individuals suffered injuries, though officials have not yet disclosed their conditions, the Colorado Sun reported. Investigators are still piecing together the sequence of events.

“The cause is going to take some time to figure out,” Arapahoe County Sheriff Deputy John Bartmann said, according to local media.

Images captured by CBS Colorado showed an overturned truck beside several crumpled vehicles scattered across the closed roadway. The sheriff’s office confirmed the interstate was finally cleared and reopened shortly before midnight.

Winter, 45, first entered state politics after winning a seat in the Colorado House of Representatives in 2014. She ascended to the state Senate in 2018 after unseating Republican incumbent Beth Martinez Humenik in District 24. Following redistricting, Winter began representing the 25th District in 2023 and was serving as assistant Senate majority leader, the chamber’s third-highest leadership position. She was term-limited in 2026.

She leaves behind two children, Tobin and Sienna, as well as her fiancé, former state Rep. Matt Gray.

A prominent advocate on transportation and environmental issues, Winter chaired the Senate Transportation & Energy Committee at the time of her death. She also served on the Business, Labor & Technology Committee and the Local Government & Housing Committee. The Post noted she held a degree in environmental management and biology from the University of Redlands.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis responded to the news, praising Winter’s political record and expressing condolences.

“Our state is shaken by the loss of Senator Faith Winter, and I send my deepest condolences to her children, loved ones, friends, and colleagues across our state,” Polis said. “Faith was a fierce advocate for hardworking Coloradans, women, and families, and our climate. I’ve known Faith for nearly twenty years, first as an organizer for environmental causes and then expanding women’s representation and leadership, and finally, as a state senator.

“I have had the honor of working with her on many issues to improve the lives of every person and family in our great state, and tackling climate change. I am deeply saddened for her family, her friends and colleagues, and her community. Faith’s work and advocacy made Colorado a better state,” Polis added.

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold also offered a tribute.

“Faith Winter was a fierce advocate for her community and her state. She leaves a lasting legacy and will be missed. Our thoughts and condolences are with her family and loved ones,” Griswold wrote on Facebook.

According to the Post, a “party vacancy committee will determine who serves out the remaining year of Winter’s term.”

Colorado, notably, was among several Democrat-led states that attempted to remove then-former President Donald Trump from their 2024 ballots using a strained interpretation of the 14th Amendment — an effort ultimately overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled decisively that the provision did not apply.