A man with a lengthy criminal record, who was out on parole, has been identified as the suspected carjacker responsible for a horrific head-on crash that claimed five lives, including his own, in Colorado.
A Tragic Sequence of Events
The incident unfolded on the afternoon of November 24. According to authorities, Walter Huling, 31, allegedly stole a Toyota Matrix from a Colorado transportation station. Reports indicate that just an hour before the fatal collision, a woman was pulled from her car after refusing to give him a ride.
Huling was driving the stolen vehicle on a Colorado highway when he lost control, slamming head-on into a Ford sedan carrying a family of six.
The crash killed four people in the family's car: Alvin Corado, 35, his two children, MaKenlee Corado, 11, and Toretto Corado, 8, and a third child, Jase Green, 12. Huling also died at the scene.
Survivors and a Community's Anger
Two children survived the crash but were critically injured. Mia Corado, 13, and Jordan Green, 14, were airlifted to a hospital for emergency treatment.
The tragedy has sparked outrage and difficult questions about the justice system. District Attorney George Brauchler revealed that Huling's criminal history was 11 pages long and dated back to his juvenile years. He was on parole at the time of the crash and was set to be discharged in January.
'This guy’s criminal history and the fact that he appears to have been on parole and this happened seems like we are failing the community,' Brauchler told local media, adding stern questions for the state about who is being released onto the streets.
A Lengthy and Violent Criminal Past
Court records obtained by The Denver Gazette detailed Huling's extensive rap sheet between 2013 and 2018. His brushes with the law included:
- Four assault charges
- Three protection order violations
- One charge each of bribery, burglary, and driving under the influence
One of his more egregious offences resulted in a six-year prison stint for assaulting a man and his wife in downtown Denver, during which he also assaulted the arresting officer. His record also listed charges for criminal mischief, sexual contact without consent, and resisting arrest.
Despite this history, he was paroled but subsequently picked up another charge for violating a protection order in March 2024, to which he pleaded guilty.
Families Left in Mourning
As Colorado authorities grapple with the circumstances, two families are navigating unimaginable loss.
Marissa Corado, the mother of Mia, MaKenlee, and Toretto, is supporting her surviving daughter in hospital. In a heartbreaking Facebook update, she revealed that when Mia woke and was told her father and siblings had died, the girl responded, 'I know.' Mia recalled the entire accident and had been trying to help her family. She has fluid in her lungs and multiple fractured ribs.
Jennifer Watkins, the mother of Jordan and Jase, shared that her late son Jase was a 'sweet baby' beloved by many. She described Alvin Corado as a devoted father figure and a proud member of the United States Army. An update on Jordan confirmed his spirits were high and he had managed to take a few steps.
Two GoFundMe pages have been established to support the families with medical expenses and funeral costs during this devastating time.
