YOUR AD HERE »

Crime Briefs: Man with ax was looking for ex

After a couple reported that man had repeatedly knocked on their door asking for someone who didn’t live there, a Garfield County deputy arrived at a home near Parachute early on the morning of March 7 to find man in the yard holding a small ax.

Ryan M. Amonds, 28, of Battlement Mesa, told police he was partially deaf after he finally responded to orders to drop the hatchet.

According to his arrest affidavit, Amonds smelled of alcohol and said his ex-girlfriend’s truck was parked outside the home.



The homeowners, who had lived in the house about six months, said that they didn’t know Amonds’ girlfriend and that the truck out front was theirs. They told the deputy that the man had first knocked around 8 p.m. and returned around 11 and had later taken something from the bed of the truck. A search of the area yielded a pair of gloves and another ax, which were identified as having been in the truck.

Amonds was arrested for felony trespass and misdemeanor theft.



ITEMS, THEN SUSPECTS ARE MISSING

Deputies investigating a break in last month arrived at a motel where the suspects were staying to find that the group had fled after being tipped off by the clerk.

The investigation began Feb. 10, when a group of Rifle-area residents returned from Grand Junction late Feb. 10 to find their lights on, front door open, house ransacked. One of them walked through the house carrying with his 9mm handgun, but accidently shot himself in the process.

Items reported stolen according to the arrest affidavit were a rifle, guitar and amp, television, Xbox and an assortment of games.

Suspicion fell on Travis Tennell, 29, who one of the residents said had been in the house to trade methamphetamine for marijuana, and his friend Andrew Stanton, 26. Police confirmed a booking under Stanton’s name at a local hotel, but found an apologetic clerk and an empty room when they arrived.

A search of the room yielded several items matching those reported stolen, and video surveillance showed the pair, along with Rikki Fetterhoff, 27, and David Rivera, 25. All four have since been arrested for felony burglary.

Editor’s note: Crime Briefs are drawn from arrest affidavits and other public documents. Summonses or arrests merely indicate an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless found guilty in court.


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Glenwood Springs and Garfield County make the Post Independent’s work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.