A 22-year-old Durango man has been charged with vehicular homicide after the car he was driving in June went off the road in Durango West II and hit a tree, killing a 17-year-old Durango woman.

Benjamin Keil was charged with vehicular homicide/alcohol (Class 3 felony); vehicular homicide reckless (Class 4 felony); two counts of careless/bodily injury (misdemeanor traffic offense); a DUI (misdemeanor); DUI-Per Se; and open container (traffic infraction A).

Keil was charged through the 6th Judicial District Attorney’s Office on Aug. 14. He is scheduled to appear in court at 9:30 a.m. Sept. 1 for a preliminary hearing.

Around 10:30 p.m. June 9, authorities say Keil was driving a 2002 Audi S6, headed west in the 200 block of Fir Drive, when he failed to navigate a turn and struck a tree.

At the time of the crash, Colorado State Patrol Cpt. Adrian Driscoll said excessive speed and alcohol were suspected in the crash. Fir Drive is a residential street in the Durango West II subdivision with a speed limit of 25 miles per hour.

Driscoll was unable to provide how fast authorities suspect Keil was driving.

As a result of the crash, 17-year-old Mercedez Lynn Farley, of Durango, was transported to Mercy Regional Medical Center, where she died.

Keil and passengers David Myers, 20, of Durango and Angela Rosales, 23, of Durango, all suffered minor to moderate injuries.

Colorado State Patrol said at the time of the crash and confirmed again Tuesday that based on the evidence at the scene, Farley was the only occupant not wearing a seatbelt.

jromeo@durangoherald.com