Police say a Milliken man assaulted his wife, who was two months pregnant, while she drove an SUV, causing it to roll and killing her in the crash.

Scott Huggins, 30, has been arrested as a suspect in the death of 29-year-old Danielle Huggins, according to the Weld County Sheriff's Office.

Danielle Huggins was driving a Mitsubishi Montero westbound on Colorado 60 just outside Milliken when Scott Huggins, a passenger, "began assaulting his wife," the Sheriff's Office said.

Four children, ages 2 to 10, were in the SUV when it rolled 2½ times Wednesday night before coming to a rest.

Everyone in the SUV was buckled in except Danielle Huggins, according to the Colorado State Patrol, and she was partially thrown from the vehicle.

"The assault caused Danielle to lose control of the SUV," the Sheriff's Office said.

One of the children in the wreck told a paramedic about the alleged assault while they were in an ambulance en route to the hospital, according to an arrest affidavit.

The child who spoke to the paramedic and another child in the SUV were interviewed by investigators.

One child told investigators that Scott Huggins was yelling "look at me" and that Danielle said she couldn't because she was driving, according to the affidavit.

Scott Huggins, according to the affidavit, was squeezing his wife's shoulder "really hard." Danielle Huggins used her right hand in an attempt to free herself from Scott's grip and hit him in the left arm, the affidavit said.

Scott Huggins hit her in the right arm, at least twice, and the SUV started veering, the affidavit said.

Danielle had both hands on the steering wheel as the SUV veered, and Scott Huggins "hit" his wife across both arms in a "chopping motion," according to the affidavit. At that point, the Montero rolled.

After being treated at a local hospital and released, Scott Huggins was arrested without incident at a home in Milliken on suspicion of manslaughter, one count of child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury, two counts of child abuse resulting in bodily injury and one count of child abuse with no injury.

One of the children, a 5-year-old, suffered a broken leg in the crash, the most serious injury to the survivors. Another child suffered abrasions to her right hand and forearm, as well as lacerations to her foot from broken glass. A third child suffered a cut to the left check that required stitches.

Bail for Huggins has not yet been set.

source: denverpost

View all David Townsend's articles

---

About the Author:

More Various articles