CENTENNIAL, Colo. — Colorado is mourning the sudden and tragic death of State Senator Faith Winter (D-Westminster), who was killed Wednesday night in a multi-vehicle collision on Interstate 25 just south of Denver.
The crash occurred shortly before 8 p.m. in the northbound lanes near East Dry Creek Road in Centennial. Arapahoe County Sheriff’s deputies and Colorado State Patrol troopers responded to find several heavily damaged vehicles scattered across the highway. Three other people were injured and transported to area hospitals; their conditions have not been released.
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Senator Winter, 45, was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have not yet disclosed what led to the chain-reaction wreck, and the investigation remains active.
Governor Jared Polis ordered flags at all state buildings lowered to half-staff Thursday morning and issued a heartfelt statement:
“I am devastated. Faith was a force — brilliant, tireless, and deeply kind. I’ve known her for nearly 20 years, from her days organizing for clean air to the countless late-night calls about how to get more women elected and protect our climate. Colorado is darker today without her light.”
Winter represented Senate District 25, covering parts of Adams and Broomfield counties. First elected to the Senate in 2018 after serving in the House and on Westminster City Council, she quickly emerged as a leading voice on behavioral health, climate action, paid family leave, and reproductive rights.
Senate President Steve Fenberg (D-Boulder) called her “the conscience of our caucus,” adding, “Faith never just voted the right way — she fought for people who felt forgotten long before they ever walked into the Capitol.”
Tributes poured in across social media Thursday as former staffers, constituents, and fellow lawmakers shared stories of Winter’s trademark warmth — mentoring young women in politics, personally answering late-night constituent emails, and always remembering names and family details.
A public memorial service is being planned for next week at the Colorado State Capitol. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked for donations to the Faith Winter Legacy Fund, which will support women running for office and climate-resiliency projects — two causes she championed throughout her career.
The northbound lanes of I-25 at Dry Creek were closed for more than six hours Wednesday night as investigators reconstructed the crash.
Senator Winter is survived by her husband, Sean, and their young son. She was 45 years old.