Driver who died after rollover crash with Aurora police SUV identified as Elias Hans Anderson

The driver who died after rollover crash with an Aurora police cruiser over the weekend has been identified as Elias Hans Anderson. Anderson, 44, of Aurora was killed in the crash as police were responding to a call on Saturday night. 

Aurora police say the officer, identified as Eduardo Landeros, was responding to a call of a possible break-in at the 2300 block of South Blackhawk Street when he were involved in a crash with Anderson. Officer Landeros, who's expected to recover from his injuries, was in a marked Chevrolet Tahoe and Anderson was in a Toyota Corolla.

Colorado State Patrol is investigating the crash, which occurred at the intersection of East Bates Avenue and South Chambers Road, as is Aurora's internal affairs bureau. 

Aurora Police Interim Chief Art Acevedo said in a news conference Saturday night that Officer Landeros, who has been with the Aurora Police Department since February 2022, was driving northbound, while the other driver was going east.

No one from Colorado State Patrol has said whether the officer's lights or sirens were on. Acevedo said that the police car's computer will have collected that information, but he hasn't reviewed that information as of Sunday. He also said the officer's body-worn camera likely recorded the crash.

"I don't have any information on speeds, and so I'm not going to speculate as to causation - other than, it was extensive damage to both vehicles," he said at that news conference. "Our Tahoe rolled over several times."

He asked people to pray for Anderson's family.