Morphew Pleads Guilty to Careless Driving

Barry Morphew entered the plea in Denver court in a hit-and-run case while still awaiting trial on a murder charge.

Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Crime — General

Morphew Pleads Guilty to Careless Driving

Barry Morphew pleaded guilty to careless driving in Denver court, appearing virtually on Friday morning, in connection with an August hit-and-run near 8th and Colorado. Other charges were dismissed in exchange for the plea.

Why it matters

The plea resolves the hit-and-run charges while Morphew remains in custody in Alamosa County awaiting trial on a first-degree murder charge in the death of his wife, Suzanne Morphew, to which he has pleaded not guilty. A judge has also modified his bond conditions in connection with that murder case.

Morphew pleaded guilty to careless driving and was ordered to pay a $244 fine and receive four license points, with leaving-the-scene, failure-to-report, driving-without-license and insurance-display charges dismissed. He remains in custody in Alamosa County on a first-degree murder charge he has pleaded not guilty to, and his bond was increased from $3 million to $10 million cash-only.

The players

Barry Morphew

Barry Morphew is the defendant who pleaded guilty to careless driving in the hit-and-run case while awaiting trial on a murder charge in the death of his wife, Suzanne Morphew.

Boulder County Sheriff's Office

The Boulder County Sheriff's Office is the local law enforcement agency whose deputies arrested Morphew the week before his September court appearance.

The details

Video obtained by CBS Colorado showed the driver refusing to provide identification or insurance information and offering one of the drivers cash. Morphew was arrested by Boulder County Sheriff's deputies the week before his Sept. 8 court appearance in Alamosa County.

August: Hit-and-run collision occurred near 8th and Colorado in Denver.
Week before Sept. 8: Boulder County Sheriff's deputies arrested Morphew.
Sept. 8: Alamosa County Court increased his bond to $10 million cash-only.
Nov. 13: Morphew pleaded guilty to careless driving in Denver court.

Legal Context

The careless driving plea runs in parallel with the first-degree murder prosecution in Alamosa County, where Morphew's bond was raised to $10 million cash-only. Traffic resolutions like this one are typically handled separately from the felony case that keeps him in custody.

Residents who witness hit-and-run collisions can report them to local police and provide video or vehicle details for investigators. The case also shows that drivers involved in collisions are required to exchange identification and insurance information at the scene.

The takeaway

Resolving a traffic charge does not affect other pending cases, so a plea in one matter can leave a defendant still facing more serious charges elsewhere. Readers following this case should watch the Alamosa County murder proceedings for the next major development.