Coban Porter suspected of drunk driving in fatal crash, Denver police say

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Booking photo by Coban Porter. (Denver Police Department)

Coban Porter, the brother of Denver Nuggets star Michael Porter Jr., smelled of alcohol and mouthed his words after running a red light and crashing into another vehicle early Sunday morning, killing the other driver, according to Denver police in a probable cause affidavit.

Coban Porter, a 21-year-old University of Denver basketball player, was arrested on suspicion of vehicle homicide and reckless driving after he was involved in the fatal crash at the intersection of South University and Buchtel Boulevards just before 2 a.m. Sunday.

Denver police allege Coban Porter was driving about 50 mph eastbound on East Buchtel Boulevard when he ran a red light on South University Boulevard and hit a northbound driver on University, according to the affidavit. .

The other driver, who has not been publicly identified, died at the scene and a passenger in that vehicle was seriously injured, police said in the affidavit, which was obtained Monday by the Denver Post. The posted speed limit at this intersection, which is near the University of Denver campus, is 30 mph.

Coban Porter had “bloodshot and watery eyes, slurred speech and mumbling, and the strong smell of liquor on his breath,” Corporal Aaron Botts wrote in the partially redacted affidavit. “He also had a ‘Bud Light’ paper bracelet on his left wrist.”

Investigators drew Coban Porter’s blood to test his blood alcohol level; those results are pending, Botts wrote.

Coban was arrested at the scene, police said. He was taken to the Denver Jail and released on $20,000 bail around 4 p.m. Sunday, according to the Denver Sheriff’s Department.

Coban came to Denver after committing to the University of Denver men’s basketball program in 2021, following stints with Father Tolton Catholic in Columbia, Missouri, and Link Prep in Branson, Missouri. He played 28 freshman games with the Pioneers last season.

He was injured during the offseason and was unable to train with the team this year due to his injury. He is still on the team roster and taking classes at DU.

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