YOUR AD HERE »

Crime Briefs: Pair flees police in New Castle

After driving through a stop sign at high speeds, a pair fled from law enforcement in New Castle with two children in the car the evening of Nov. 17.

They reached 70 mph in a 55 mph zone while trying to escape Garfield sheriff’s deputies and New Castle police, and only a spike strip laid by Silt police stopped them.

After having crashed into a fence, a 35-year-old male fled on foot from the car toward the Colorado River. The man was hung up on a fence he tried to jump, and when he tried to flee again, a deputy Tased him in the back.



He was arrested on six warrants in total, according to an arrest affidavit.

Back at the car, officers found .5 grams of methamphetamine and multiple hypodermic needles throughout the vehicle, including capped needles near the 2- and 3-year-old children. One child had been left unrestrained and the other was in a car seat that wasn’t strapped into the car, according to the affidavit.



A 24-year-old Glenwood Springs woman who was in the car was arrested on charges of vehicular eluding, and possession of a controlled substance, both felonies, as well as the misdemeanors child abuse and driving under restraint.

The man who fled on foot was charged with obstructing a peace officer, child abuse and possession of a controlled substance.

Vehicular Assault Suspect Can’t Stop Belching

An allegedly intoxicated 30-year-old Snowmass man hit a motorcyclist in the 100 block of Sixth Street in Glenwood Springs Nov. 19.

The driver went to make a U-turn and hit the motorcyclist, whom he said he didn’t see, according to an arrest affidavit.

He later refused a breath test by Glenwood Springs police. He was arrested and taken to the Garfield County Jail.

At the jail he was supposed to undergo a “deprivation period,” during which he wasn’t allowed to drink water, vomit, belch or do anything else that would affect a breath test.

But the Snowmass man said he couldn’t keep from belching, claiming he was cursed with irritable bowl syndrome. So officers opted for a blood test at the hospital, where the motorcyclist was also being treated for fractures to his tibia and fibula.

The Snowmass man faces a charge of felony vehicular assault with driving under the influence.

Rifle Man tases Teen to Enforce Fishing License

A 46-year-old Rifle man tried to go about game enforcement the wrong way Nov. 21 and landed in the Garfield County Jail.

A 36-year-old woman was fishing at the Rifle rest area on Nov. 21 when the Rifle man came up and asked to see her fishing license. When she refused he confiscated her pole.

Then a 15-year-old boy tried to intervene, according to an arrest affidavit, but the Rifle man responded by punching the boy in the face and pulling out a Taser.

He unsuccessfully tried to tase the boy, who eventually snatched the weapon away and threw it toward the lake.

When Rifle police were later carting him away, he commented that the area needs a game warden.

Arresting charges included third-degree assault, child abuse, both class 1 misdemeanors, and class 5 felony use of a stun gun.

Mormon Church Burglar Threatens to Kill Police

After breaking into the Glenwood Springs Church of Latter Day Saints Nov. 20, a 26-year-old Glenwood Springs man talked of killing police and other people, churchgoers reported to police.

Church members initially found him sleeping with a screwdriver. They let him use the church phone but later locked themselves in the kitchen for protection when they heard him talking about killing police and others over the phone.

He also claimed to have a gun, though the person reporting him never saw one, according to the affidavit.

As police drove him to jail, he attempted to kick out the patrol car window, and he later slammed his head against a partition on the way to the jail.

The 26-year-old was arrested on charges of second-degree burglary, a class 4 felony, and misdemeanor obstructing a peace officer.

Football Argument Leads to Domestic Violence

After watching the Denver Broncos game Nov. 22, a 45-year-old New Castle man who had “consumed a large amount of alcohol” became angry in an argument with a woman about football teams.

The man allegedly grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her up against a wall, yelling and putting his hands around her throat.

A family member eventually broke up the confrontation, and New Castle police arrested him on charges of felony second-degree assault, which wound be treated as domestic violence for purposes of sentencing.

Undercover Bust Leads to Distribution Charges

Two Rivers Drug Enforcement Team busted a 19-year-old Glenwood Springs man following an undercover buy in early September.

His arresting charges included possession of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute (less than 7 grams), distribution of methamphetamine and conspiracy to distribute, all felonies.


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.