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2 sisters struck, killed by van in Aurora identified

The driver who may have suffered a medical emergency also died, according to Aurora Police.

AURORA, Colo. — Two women and a man who died when a van ran off the road and hit several people on Wednesday have been identified.

A driver and two pedestrians died, according to police near East Iliff Avenue and South Buckley Road. One pedestrian and a passenger in the van were taken to a hospital, according to the Aurora Police Department (APD).

The pedestrians who were killed were identified Thursday as Lucrecia Sosa Munevar, 67, and Yolanda Sosa Munevar, 62. Both died from blunt force injuries, according to the coroner. Family members said Wednesday they were sisters.

The driver who died was identified as 50-year-old Young Hwa Jeong. His cause of death is pending further investigation, the coroner said.

APD said he had a medical emergency, and the van ran off the road and onto the sidewalk, hitting the pedestrians.

The van came to a complete stop after crashing into a tree.

The extent of the injuries of the two people injured in the crash was not immediately available.

Everyone involved in the crash was an adult, APD said. 

Police believe the driver and passenger in the 2003 white Chevrolet Astro van were traveling westbound on Iliff Avenue just east of South Buckley Road. 

Westbound Iliff was shut down at Pagosa Way while police investigated. 

Those who heard the crash, like Isaiah Payne, said several bystanders came by to try and help, including several people who called 911. 

Payne was on his bike outside of the Wendy's nearby when the crash happened. 

“Be cautious, please be cautious, because this world is crazy and you never know what could happen, so always look for your surroundings," he said. 

Another person who heard the crash, Jennifer Taylor, was at Old Chicago restaurant when the crash happened.

“It was really sad. Still pretty shaky," she said. “Regardless it’s awful, no matter how you look at it."

Wednesday night, 9NEWS spoke to people who said they were family members of the three people that were hit. 

Freddy Benegas, a family member, spoke to 9NEWS in Spanish and explained that the two pedestrians who were killed were sisters, and the husband of one of them was injured and taken to a hospital.

"It is extremely complicated for us, to take this news, and even more knowing how difficult it is for us to be here, and then that they have come to visit us and now, as I say, we do not know what is going to happen next," Benegas said in Spanish.

Benegas said the three were visiting from Colombia, and had gone for walks often in that area. Benegas lives near where the crash happened, which is where those family members were visiting.

APD is working to determine what led up to the crash and said the investigation is still active. Those who witnessed the collision or have dash camera footage and have not spoken to police should contact the Aurora Police Traffic Investigations Unit or Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867. 

> Watch the full Wednesday afternoon press conference

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