The Grand Junction Police Department on Thursday, Oct. 2, announced an arrest in a fatal hit-and-run accident that occurred shortly before midnight on Sept. 13. William Harrison, 37, was taken into custody on Thursday, Oct. 1, in connection with the incident near Westland Avenue and D Road that resulted in the death of 18-year-old Serenity Murphy of Grand Junction.
Officers with the Grand Junction Police Department received a report of a possible hit-and-run crash on Sept. 14 at approximately 12:10 a.m. Upon arrival at the scene near Westland Avenue and D Road, officers found an unconscious female lying on the sidewalk with a scooter in the bicycle lane. The Grand Junction Fire Department transported the female to the hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced deceased on the evening of Sept. 14. The Mesa County Coroner’s Office later identified the victim as Serenity Murphy.
According to the Grand Junction Police Department, there were no witnesses to the hit-and-run crash. However, Crash Investigators with GJPD determined through investigation that the female had been riding a scooter in the bike lane shortly before the crash. Investigators developed a lead on a suspect vehicle, which they subsequently located. Damage observed on the vehicle was consistent with the crash, and Crash Investigators ultimately collected enough evidence to establish probable cause to charge Harrison.
Harrison was arrested without incident and transported to the Mesa County Detention Facility. He was booked on charges that include two felony counts of vehicular homicide, a DUI misdemeanor, failure to remain at the scene after an accident that involved a death—a class-3 felony—and two additional misdemeanors. The investigation into the fatal hit-and-run remains ongoing.
Separately, the Grand Junction Police Department also announced an arrest Thursday in connection with a stabbing incident from late last month. On Thursday, GJPD arrested 29-year-old Noah Miller in the area of 2525 Rimrock Avenue without incident.
The arrest stems from an incident on Sept. 30, at approximately 9:30 p.m., when officers with the Grand Junction Police Department responded to a report of an assault in the 2500 block of Riverside Parkway. Dispatchers with the Grand Junction Regional Communication Center had received a call about an adult male arriving at a local hospital with an apparent stab wound.
Following an investigation, officers discovered the male had been involved in a dispute with a person known to him on an island south of River City Sportsplex. During the dispute, the suspect brandished a knife and stabbed the male multiple times. The male sustained serious bodily injuries and was transported to the hospital in a personal vehicle.
Miller was booked into the Mesa County Detention Facility on charges of second-degree murder, first-degree assault with a deadly weapon, and felony menacing. The investigation into this assault also remains ongoing. Under Colorado law, an arrest and the filing of criminal charges are formal accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. No additional information is available at this time regarding either investigation.
