A prominent Chicago billionaire was killed in a racing accident in Colorado on Sunday. The Aspen Motorsports Park in Woody Creek, Colorado is where James Crown was killed, and the Pitkin County Coroner’s Office has confirmed the news to PEOPLE.
“The official cause of death is pending autopsy, although multiple blunt force trauma is evident,” the coroner’s office said in a statement. “The manner is accident.” The Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office, the Colorado State Patrol, and the Coroner’s Office are all presently looking into the collision.
On Sunday, Crown was 70 years old. He had been serving as chairman and CEO of the financial firm Henry Crown and Company, which was run by his family. In addition to his time at General Dynamics, he was also a member of JPMorgan Chase’s board of directors.
“He was the leader of our family both intellectually and emotionally, and he looked out for everybody,” dad Lester Crown told the Chicago Sun-Times. “He also was a great leader also for the community. It’s just a heartfelt loss.”
“The Crown family is deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Jim Crown in an accident earlier today. The family requests that their privacy be respected at this difficult time,” a family spokesperson told the Aspen Times in a statement. “Further details regarding plans for a memorial to remember Jim’s remarkable life will be released at a later date.”
At the time of his death, Crown was chairman emeritus of the board supervising the Aspen Institute, which is sponsoring the Aspen Ideas Festival in Aspen this week. Crown was a Chicago resident who frequently visited his Colorado home in Pitkin County. In addition, he managed Aspen Skiing Co.
The tweet below verifies the death of :
Chicago Billionaire, 70, Dies in Race Car Crash in Colorado on His Birthday https://t.co/23ILQToRH9
— People (@people) June 26, 2023
Crown joined President Obama’s intelligence advisory council in 2014 after being chosen by Obama himself. Chicago’s mayor, Brandon Johnson, was “devastated” to hear about Crown’s passing.
“A lifelong Chicagoan, Jim gave back to the city through philanthropy and leadership on a number of civic and academic boards as he was deeply committed to investing in Chicago and its people,” Johnson said in a statement to CBS Chicago.
“With his generosity, Jim truly embodied the soul of Chicago,” he continued. “I was especially grateful for his commitment to work collaboratively with my administration to build a safer Chicago, having met recently to share ideas.” In 2020, Forbes projected that the Crown family’s fortune will be $10.2 billion. Crown’s family includes his wife Paula and four kids.
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