On January 23, 2024, at approximately 8:53 PM, members of the Colorado Springs Police Department were dispatched to Marksheffel Road just north of Drennan Road regarding a three-car traffic crash. When officers arrived on the scene, they determined that the driver and a passenger in one vehicle were deceased. The driver of a second vehicle was critically injured with life-threatening injuries. The driver and a passenger in the third vehicle suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
The driver in the second vehicle with life-threatening injuries was immediately transported to a local hospital. His identity will not be released, and he remains hospitalized in stable condition. The identity of the driver and passenger in the third vehicle will not be released; both were treated and released from a local hospital that night.
Due to the nature of the crash, the Major Crash Team responded to the scene and assumed the investigation. It was determined that the first vehicle, with the two deceased individuals, was traveling south on Marksheffel Road and was attempting to pass vehicles in the northbound lane when it collided head-on with the second vehicle, which was traveling northbound. The force of the impact propelled the second vehicle into the southbound lane, where it was subsequently struck by a third vehicle traveling southbound.
On January 24, 2024, the El Paso County Coroner’s Office conducted an autopsy on the deceased individuals in the first vehicle. The driver was identified as 27-year-old Charles Polk. The passenger, determined to be a victim of the crash, was identified as 31-year-old Billie Polk. A photo of Billie Polk has been provided by his family.
These are the 6th and 7th traffic fatalities in Colorado Springs this year. At this time last year, there was one traffic fatality. In the last 365 days, there have been 56 traffic fatalities.
