by North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com
Weld County crash claimed life of bicyclist Michael Wallen in 2023; community impact still resonates
A Weld County woman has been sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to vehicular homicide in a hit-and-run crash that killed a Greeley bicyclist in December 2023.
According to the Weld County District Attorney’s Office, Ana Caren Romero struck and killed 49-year-old Michael Wallen while he was riding his bike in the 2300 block of 8th Avenue in Greeley on the evening of December 4, 2023. Romero fled the scene without stopping, rendering no aid, and failing to call emergency services.
“The defendant is here today because of the choices she made,” said Deputy District Attorney Katherine Fitzgerald. “She chose to drive away. She chose to not call 911. She chose to not render aid.”
Investigators with the Greeley Police Department Traffic Unit used debris at the scene to identify the suspect vehicle as a Jeep Grand Cherokee manufactured between 2017 and 2021. Later that evening, Romero’s attorney contacted police, reporting the vehicle was at her home. Officers confirmed it was a 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee registered to Romero, bearing front-end damage consistent with the crash and physical evidence.
In September 2024, Romero was indicted by a Weld County Statutory Grand Jury. She pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide in February 2025. On June 12, Weld County District Court Judge Anita Crowther sentenced Romero to five years in the Colorado Department of Corrections. The maximum possible sentence was six years.
“There’s nothing more serious than when someone is killed. Michael Wallen is no longer with us because of the choices she made that night,” said Fitzgerald.
This case highlights the severe consequences of fleeing a crash scene and has left a lasting impact on the Greeley community.
For more information, visit: welddistrictattorney.com
Information provided by the Weld County District Attorney’s office