Coban Porter had watery eyes and slurred speech when police arrived on the scene of an alleged vehicular homicide Sunday morning, according to the arrest affidavit.
Denver Police say Coban, a 21-year-old sophomore University of Denver Pioneers basketball star, ran a red light at the corner of east Buchtel Boulevard and University Boulevard just before 2 a.m. and hit an oncoming car, killing the driver.
Katharina Rothman, 42, was pronounced dead at the scene according to the Denver Medical Examiner. The arrest affidavit shows a passenger in the vehicle also suffered injuries. According to the report, Rothman was driving the vehicle. There's been no word on who her passenger was that night.
Porter was arrested on charges of vehicular homicide and reckless driving. He is the younger brother of Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter, Jr.
Court records show that Sunday, Michael Porter Jr. posted $2,000 on the $20,000 bond amount and Coban was released from jail.
Coban Porter was driving 50 mph eastbound on East Buchtel and the victim was heading north on University Boulevard, arrest records show. Denver police say he had a “strong odor of alcoholic beverage on his breath” and was wearing a Bud Light paper wrist band.
The speed limit in the area is 25 mph.
The DU sophomore had not played this season while he rehabilitated his knee after an ACL tear. He averaged 11.4 points in 28 games as a freshman last season.
Coban Porter sustained the knee injury in June 2022 and was not expected to play this season at DU. Prior to the injury, Porter was a star freshman for a Pioneers program on the rise. The 6-foot-5 guard set a program record for DU freshmen with 71 made 3-pointers. He converted 41.3% of his 3-point attempts, leading the Summit League. Porter scored a career-best 26 points vs. Oral Roberts.
Coban Porter is one of eight siblings in a tight-knit basketball family. Michael Porter Jr. is three years older than Coban. Elder brother Jontay Porter worked out for the Nuggets last summer, and sisters Bri and Cierra played for the University of Missouri basketball team.
Father Michael Porter Sr. played at the University of New Orleans and was an assistant coach at Washington and Missouri. Mother Lisa Porter played at the University of Iowa.
The Nuggets play at New Orleans Tuesday, and the team lists Michael Porter Jr. as questionable to play. The team will say Tuesday if Porter is upgraded or downgraded for the game. The Nuggets have not said if Porter Jr. traveled with the team to New Orleans.
In a statement, DU's alumni fan blog page, "Let's Go DU" reported it believes this is the first arrest of a current DU student-athlete in 15 years, describing Porter as kind, engaging and personable.
Two hours before a 6 p.m. tipoff, the Nuggets announced that Michael Porter Jr. would miss their scheduled game with the Oklahoma Thunder Sunday night for "personal reasons."
Coban Porter had his first court advisement Sunday, according to court records. His next scheduled appearance in Denver District Court is Feb. 6.
