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Transient in trouble again

Rick Carroll
The Aspen Times
Post Independent
Glenwood Springs, CO Colorado

It didn’t take long for an Aspen transient, just off 170 days of incarceration on attempted murder charges, to return to jail.

Marc Altman, who received probation last month for stabbing his girlfriend, is back in Pitkin County Jail after he allegedly violated terms of a protection order.

Police arrested Altman, 49, after they found him allegedly hiding in the bathtub at the apartment unit of Terry Decker, the woman he stabbed in August and is under court order to avoid. Altman’s most recent arrest happened in the late-night hours of Feb. 7, according to police records.



Altman was released from Pitkin County Jail on Jan. 21, after Pitkin County District Judge Gail Nichols placed him on probation for three years for the stabbing. He had been in custody since his Aug. 6 arrest.

Prosecutors originally charged Altman with attempted first-degree murder, but in December, a plea agreement was reached in which he pleaded guilty to felony menacing and misdemeanor assault.



Last month, Nichols gave Altman a three-year deferred judgment for the felony conviction, meaning that if stayed out of trouble during that period, the transgression would be expunged from his record.

But the Feb. 7 arrest could queer that deal. That’s because if Altman is found to be guilty of violating the terms of the protection order, the deferred sentence would be revoked, said Pitkin County Chief Deputy District Attorney Andrea Bryan.

Altman’s recent arrest came after police officer Ryan Turner, who lives at the Truscott Place apartment complex, allegedly saw him through the window of the unit rented by Decker, who also lives at Truscott.

Knowing that both Altman and Decker are under court order to not have contact with each other, Turner and other officers went to the unit, according to a report written by Officer Jeff Fain.

Fain wrote that another officer, Gregg Cole, spoke to Decker about Altman’s presence, but she said he was not there. Instead a boyfriend name “Steve” was visiting her, Decker allegedly told Cole.

However, Cole had positively identified Altman through Decker’s unit earlier, prompting officers to enter the unit.

“Officer Cole and I found Altman hiding in Decker’s bathtub,” Fain wrote.

The officers had to help Altman out of the bathtub because of his intoxication, Fain wrote.

They arrested him for violating terms of the protection order, which also included no alcohol consumption. He remains in jail on $1,000 bond.

Police also arrested Decker because she is also under court order not to have contact with Altman. She was released after posting $25 bond. The no-contact order was issued in April after she allegedly hit Altman in the head with a hammer. A felony assault charge is pending against Decker in District Court.

rcarroll@aspentimes.com


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