YGR has independently verified that Nicholas Sierra, the driver charged in the 2021 hit-and-run death of Luis Loma, owned a vehicle identical to the one sought by investigators in the days, weeks, months, and years following Loma’s death. That same RAV4 was sold at auction just weeks after the crash with significant front end damage. YGR also developed that Sierra lived in close proximity to where a witness saw a vehicle matching the CSP description, with front end damage, on the night of the crash.
Arrest records show Sierra was arrested by Fort Collins Police Services in July 2021 on suspicion of driving under the influence and careless driving, approximately four months before the crash. VIN records from that arrest show he was operating a gray 2010 Toyota RAV4 at the time. The day after the crash CSP put out a Medina Alert stating that “vehicle parts found at the crash scene lead them to believe the vehicle involved is a gray 2009 or 2010 Toyota Rav4 or a similar SUV.”
Vehicle history documentation lists damage to the vehicle being reported on Oct. 12, 2021, six days after the crash. Online records further show the same vehicle was auctioned in the Denver metro area on Nov. 2, 2021, less than a month after the Loma crash. Auction photographs show significant impact damage to the front passenger side and windshield, consistent with a collision involving a cyclist. Additionally, the color codes on the door jamb of the auctioned vehicle match the vehicle pieces found by YGR at the scene- Toyota’s Pyrite Mica.
Records indicate the RAV4 changed ownership several times before it was listed as totaled and ultimately exported to Libya in March 2026.
In the days following the crash, YGR received a tip from a reader who observed a vehicle matching the Colorado State Patrol description on the night of the crash. The witness reported seeing a vehicle with front end damage traveling west on Elizabeth Street, then south on City Park Drive, and west on Springfield Drive. It was later determined the vehicle was last seen less than 2,000 feet from, and heading toward, 1513 Brentwood Drive, Sierra’s listed address at the time of his 2021 DUI arrest. The information was forwarded to Colorado State Patrol.
After receiving the tip, YGR drove every side street and parking lot in the Shields, Taft Hill, Elizabeth, and Prospect areas in an effort to locate a matching vehicle. YGR also attempted to obtain video footage from nearby businesses in those areas. Neither effort produced additional leads or usable video footage.
On October 7th, 2021, around 7:15 a.m., Larimer County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a report of a deceased person in the 2200 block of North Shields Street (Fort Collins/unincorporated Larimer County). They found the man, later identified by the Larimer County Coroner as 29-year-old Luis “Darnell” Loma.
Investigators determined that Mr. Loma had been riding a bicycle when a vehicle hit him. Evidence at the scene indicated that the suspect vehicle was likely a gray 2009 or 2010 Toyota Rav4 or a similar style SUV.
In December of 2025, investigators had identified a primary suspect. After gathering further evidence, they presented the facts to a judge and successfully obtained a warrant. On April 18, 2026, Sierra was arrested and charged with failure to remain at the scene of an accident involving death, failure to render aid or provide information, a Class 3 felony, and insurance fraud, a Class 5 felony. He was released on April 20. His next court appearance is a bond hearing scheduled for June 6th, 2026.
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