“As far as I’m concerned, she murdered my son,” said Sandra Nielsen, mother of Gabriel Nielsen. “I’ll do whatever I can to keep her in prison.”

The “her” in question is Lisa R. Norton, 32, of Longmont who was arrested on June 25, 2011 when she fled the scene after an accident on Nelson Road that killed one and injured two others. Norton sideswiped another vehicle before colliding with Nielsen’s car. There were no injuries in the other vehicle. After the accident, Norton jumped in a nearby lake and attempted to swim away when two boaters thwarted her escape.

Nielsen’s sister, Cherish Francis, and his 2-year-old daughter Avery were both injured. Avery is in critical condition, with a brain injury, at Children’s Hospital Colorado. Francis was listed in fair condition at Denver Health Medical Center.

Sandra Nielsen described her son as a “mountain man” who loved hiking and camping, a best friend to his parents, and an attentive father to Avery. Nielsen was finishing his last few credits towards a degree in geographic information systems, at the University of Colorado, and had just completed an internship with Boulder Open Space.

The crash occurred just two days after Norton was sentenced to one year of probation for another traffic violation. As part of a deal, she pleaded guilty on June 23 to driving while ability impaired and was ordered not to use alcohol and to undergo alcohol monitoring.

Authorities think alcohol played a role in the June 25 crash.

Metier Law Firm – Denver Accident Attorneys