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Snowmass councilman may face charge for alleged damage at jail

Jill Beathard
The Aspen Times
Chris Jacobson
Staff Photo |

Snowmass Village Town Councilman Chris Jacobson might be charged criminally for damage he allegedly caused to the Pitkin County Jail where he was held early Friday morning on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.

While the decision to file charges is up to the District Attorney, Sheriff Joe DiSalvo said Wednesday that he thinks taking action would be appropriate.

“Ultimately it’s up to (District Attorney) Sherry Caloia, but in my opinion, when you destroy property that belongs to the people of Pitkin County, you should get charged,” DiSalvo said.



DiSalvo was still waiting on an assessment of the total cost of the damages on Wednesday. In the state of Colorado, criminal mischief, which is damage to another person’s property, is a class 6 felony if the cost reaches $1,000, according to the Colorado Revised Statutes.

Jacobson allegedly peed on the floor, damaged lights in the isolation cell where he was being held and punched the wall several times, according to a police report filed by Aspen officer Ritchie Zah, who with two other officers responded to a request for aid from the jail.



He also wrenched a restraining chair he was being held in out of the ground and yelled obscenities at the officers throughout the ordeal, the report says.

While Jacobson has declined to comment as to how the charge will affect his service on Town Council, some Snowmass residents are calling for him to resign.

“An elected official should not talk to any public servant that way,” said Ray Greiser, of Snowmass Village. “And driving drunk at age 50 and a public official? He should man up and step down.”

However, some have a more lenient perspective.

“Hey this is Aspen — live and let live!” commented Kim McHale Baillargeon, of Aspen, on The Aspen Times website. “We can’t forget those days of partying Sheriff Bob!”

Jacobson was elected to the Town Council in 2012. His seat is up for re-election in 2016.

jill@snowmasssun.com


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