(EL PASO COUNTY, Colo.) — Loved ones of Kirsty Kerst gathered in a neighborhood by Pulpit Park this weekend to protest the dismissal of charges against Joel Lang. They are raising awareness about the dangers posed by releasing individuals deemed incompetent under current laws.
Charges against Lang, accused in a hit-and-run crash that killed Kerst last year in Monument, have been dismissed after he was deemed incompetent to stand trial.
The incident occurred last November when Lang’s van struck Kerst and her daughter in a McDonald’s parking lot on Baptist Road. Kerst was killed after being trapped under the van and dragged for hundreds of feet.
“People charged with murder, no matter how depraved and evil the crime, can walk free while victims and their family members are left unprotected by the laws enacted in this state,” said District Attorney Michael Allen.
The Kerst family, armed with posters and community support, is determined to fight for justice and raise awareness about the implications of competency laws in Colorado.
Britany Visage, Kerst’s daughter, emphasized, “We’re trying to just raise awareness in the community that dangerous people are being released every single day under our competency laws. And it puts all of Coloradans in extreme danger.”
Hanna Kerst, another family member, expressed concern about the legal system, noting, “There are a lot of people who are becoming aware that this isn’t just people with misdemeanors. These are people who have felony charges, multiple felony charges that are just being released back to society.”
The Kerst family plans to continue their protests, including efforts to bring attention to the issue at the Capitol in Denver.
All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by FOX21. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by FOX21 staff before being published.
About The Author
