NO GARDEN PARTY: DRIVER OF STOLEN TRUCK NABBED AFTER CHASE, CRASH IN AURORA

A stolen pickup truck plowed into a church garden after leading police on a wild chase in Aurora, officials disclosed Thursday.

The driver and a passenger were arrested following early Tuesday's mayhem, which began near East Colfax Avenue at North Havana Street when the pair spotted police cars and sped off.   The chase ended at Del Mar Circle when the vehicle rammed into a pergola, "got stuck on a high-centered garden bed" - and almost stuck two officers while attempting to back out of the mess, officials said. The truck was taken from Denver. Officers seized two firearms inside the vehicle, one of which was reported stolen. "Multiple attempts were made to safely stop the eluding suspects, including stop sticks," officials said. [Photo: Aurora Police]

2 WRONGS: BIKER FLEEING COPS STRUCK BY HIT & RUN DRIVER IN DENVER

A Kawasaki motorcycle fleeing sheriff's deputies was struck by a hit-and-run Chevrolet - and the state patrol is seeking witnesses to help solve the summertime crime.

The bizarre "two wrongs don't make a right" incident occurred at 11:12 p.m. on July 25 at Rosemary Street and East Iliff Avenue in Denver.

The Kawasaki ran a red light on southbound Iliff as it attempted to outrun Arapahoe County deputies on another matter. The light-colored Chevrolet was westbound on Rosemary.

The biker and a passenger were hurt. "The Chevrolet did not stop and continued traveling westbound on Rosemary Street," the patrol said.

If you have information, contact the state patrol (303) 239-4501 and reference case number VC260250.

BEAR CUB RESCUES RISE AS FOOD SUPPLY DWINDLES ACROSS COLORADO

By Colorado Newsline

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is rescuing more abandoned black bear cubs this year after environmental conditions strained food sources that bears rely on to fatten up before winter.

“Extreme drought conditions have limited natural forage in the higher elevations,” said Rachael Gonzales, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Northwest Region spokesperson, in an email to Colorado Newsline. “Low mountain snowpack and wildfires have added to the reduced availability of natural foods such as berries, fruits, nuts, plants and grasses across Colorado. A starving mother bear’s milk can dry up, forcing her to abandon her cubs, leaving them to search for food on their own.”

Each year orphaned cubs are brought to one of two CPW-licensed wildlife rehabilitation centers where the bears are fed natural foods such as fish and berries, as well as donated peaches from Colorado orchards. Once they’ve reached 60-70 pounds and start to display denning behavior the bears are released back into the wild.

By late September, CPW’s Frisco Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Del Norte had taken in 41 cubs — significantly more than the 29 rescued bears brought to the center last year, said John Livingston, CPW Southwest Region spokesperson. In a typical year, the center cares for roughly 20 bears, he said.

The other CPW-licensed wildlife rehabilitation center is the nonprofit Pauline Schneegas Wildlife Foundation, in Silt. This year it took in more than 30 bear cubs versus the three cubs it cared for last year, said the foundation’s executive director and founder, Nanci Limbach. The center, which is not funded by CPW, averages five to 10 cubs yearly, she noted.

[Photo: Colorado Newsline]

LINK

COP WITH TASER ZAPS YOUTH WITH GUN AND 30 ROUNDS OF AMMO IN PUEBLO

A police officer armed with a taser zapped a youth armed with an illegally modified firearm and more than 30 rounds of ammunition in Pueblo. The incident occurred Tuesday at Ray Aguilara Park at 715 McCulley Avenue, officials said. Patrol cars were dispatched after city-owned surveillance cameras spotted a group of people consuming alcohol - including the youth with the firearm in his waistband. When police arrived, the youth "began reaching for his waistband before attempting to run," officials said. When he ignored police commands, an officer "effectively deployed his taser."

The youth was taken into custody and booked into Pueblo Youth Services Center.

FLAMING WHIRL: BLAZE SPAWNS 'FIRE TORNADO' IN MORGAN COUNTY

Flaming brush spawned a rare and raging "fire tornado" in Morgan County in northeastern Colorado - endangering fire crews.

The unusual phenomenon - also known as a "fire whirl" or a "fire devil" - was photographed crossing Highway 71 between County Road H and County Road I as firefighters battled the blaze on Monday. The remarkable image shows "shows how quickly fire and wind can combine to create extreme, unpredictable conditions," according to the Morgan County Sheriff's Office said. No one was injured. No structures were lost. "Whirls are capable of wind damage similar to weak or moderate tornadoes," according to the U.S. Agriculture Department Fire Sciences Laboratory in Missoula, Montana. "Uprooting and breaking of large trees, tipping of automobiles, and tearing off roofs of houses have all been documented."

Burn rates also increase - by up to seven times, based on scientific studies.

Major fire whirls fueled the Missionary Ridge conflagration near Durango in July 2002. A falling tree fatally injured a wildland firefighter, Alan Wayne Wyatt, during that 73,000-acre blaze, according to Colorado Encyclopedia.

Acknowledging the tremendous risk, the Moran County Sheriff's Office saluted emergency personnel "who worked to protect our community" from Monday's blaze. [Photo: Morgan County Sheriff]

GUNMAN NABBED IN NEBRASKA SLAPPED WITH 76-YEAR SENTENCE FOR DENVER MURDER

Deadly gunman Augustine Vega was sentenced to 76 years in prison for second-degree murder, aggravated robbery and burglary, Denver District Attorney John Walsh.

Vega, 37, of Colorado Springs, shot David Maffet on South Vine Street on March 8, 2025, after robbing a convenience store on South Colorado Boulevard. The men were reported to be acquainted. Vega, accompanied by a female passenger, was arrested in Dawson County, Nebraska, after a high-speed chase and crash into a ditch. The two were found to be unresponsive and were treated for drug overdoses. His passenger died. Walsh applauded "the bravery of the Nebraska State Patrol troopers who brought Vega into custody without incident.” Maffet was 35. Vega was convicted in March. [Photo: Dawson County Sheriff]

1909 POWER PLANT BLAST KILLED 4, BLACKED OUT DENVER

At 6:05 p.m. on June 15, 1909, Denver was plunged into darkness when a 10-ton boiler exploded and took flight at the Denver Gas and Electric Co. plant at Sixth and Curtis streets. 

Four people were killed immediately. Many others were injured, including a 12-year-old boy and a 3-year-old girl struck by debris.

"People tottered, windows crashed and rattled and chimneys swayed when the boiler exploded," the Rocky Mountain News reported. "Few realized what had happened, even when the stray blocks of masonry and heavy pieces of iron flew through the air and crashed through walls, burying themselves in the ground."

Ill-fated Boiler No. 17 was located on the Curtis street side of the plant. It was estimated to have been airborne for 20 seconds, rocketing to an altitude of 1,659 feet, coming to rest 175 feet from its base, according to The Locomotive, trade publication of Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Co.

"Denver was without lights, without power, and helpless the instant of the explosion, but the company rushed every available man to the plants and lines, and in four and one-half hours was serving every light actually needed," the News said.

Boiler explosions were once a common occurrence in the U.S. 

Denver's deadliest disaster was a boiler blast at the Gumry Hotel, which killed 22 people on Aug. 19, 1895. The hotel was located on Lawrence Street between 17th and 18th streets.

Across the nation, there were 499 boiler explosions reported in 1911 alone, accounting for 222 deaths and 416 injuries, according to the Journal of The Cleveland Engineering Society.

The boiler that exploded at the Denver Gas and Electric plant in 1909 provided 400-horsepower, was of water-tube construction and designated a "safety boiler."

[Photos: The Locomotive; Rocky Mountain News, June 16, 1909]

LITTLETON COPS LOCATE WANTED TRUCK DRIVER

Police in Littleton identified and charged a truck driver sought in a hit-and-run crash that seriously injured a pedestrian near a King Soopers supermarket. "Through the course of the investigation, detectives determined the driver was unaware that the collision had occurred and was not intentionally attempting to leave the scene," police said. "The driver has been fully cooperative with investigators." The driver was charged with Careless Driving Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in the Sept. 28 accident at 100 West Littleton Boulevard, police said.

TINA PETERS TALKS 'ELECTION INTERGRITY' WITH TRUMP, ATTORNEY SAYS

By Colorado Newsline

A former U.S. Department of Justice attorney said Monday that former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters met with President Donald Trump at the White House to discuss “election integrity” and plans for upcoming elections. 

Ed Martin, who left his position with the Justice Department to take on legal work related to upcoming elections, told Real America’s Voice that Peters, a Republican who was convicted of multiple felonies for her role in a security breach of her office’s election equipment, met with Trump to talk about federal involvement in the November midterm elections.

“It is a local election … there is local control. However, the laws that govern the system, like safety and national security, are federal laws,” Martin said. “And so, when Tina Peters, you know, famous Colorado clerk, was in the Oval Office today just two hours ago talking about this question, the president’s taking it seriously.”

LINK

JAIL DEPUTY DISMISSED

The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office dismissed a deputy for alleged inappropriate conduct with a female inmate at the county jail.

The deputy was arrested and the case was referred to the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, the sheriff's office said. The inmate was transferred to another jurisdiction.

The sheriff's office identified the deputy as Kevin Lacy.

COLD CASE: MURDERED IN WYOMING, FOUND IN COLORADO

The bullet-riddled body of drifter Jerry Mikkelson, 24, was discovered on a remote forest service road 15 miles north of Walden, Colorado, near the Wyoming state line, on Oct. 18, 1987.

His remains were positively identified after more than three decades through genetic genealogy and advanced technology.

The killing has never been solved.

Soil samples from Mikkelson's hair signaled he was murdered in Wyoming and deposited in Colorado, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. The nearest settlement was Cowdrey, Colorado.

Mikkelson was shot several times and had been dead for only a day or two, based on the state of his remains. Jackson County deputies discovered the initials "L.B.L." written on a tag inside a vest he was wearing. 

His family said Mikkelson left his home in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on Aug. 8, 1983, and he was believed to have spent time in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Olathe, Kansas; Wyoming - and perhaps Colorado, investigators determined.

Mikkelson stood 5-foot-9 inches tall and weighed about 160 pounds when he left home with brown eyes and naturally wavy brown hair. He was born Aug. 12, 1963. 

If you have information, contact the Jackson County Sheriff's Office in Walden.

[Photo: CBI]

ANOTHER POSTAL CARRIER ROBBED IN DENVER

For the second time in less than a month, a postal carrier was robbed in Denver, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service said.

The incident occurred at about 1:30 pm on Oct. 1 near the intersection of East 22nd Avenue and Albion Street in Park Hill. The robber fled north on Ash Street. If you have information, contact postal inspectors (877) 876-2455.
On Sept. 14, a postal carrier was robbed near 2326 North Clay Street in Denver at about 5:30 p.m. A suspect in that crime was arrested a few days later.

STATE PATROL REPORTS 6-AUTO CRASH ON I-25 NEAR TIMNATH

Six autos collided during the Tuesday morning rush hour on I-25 near Timnath in Larimer County, the state patrol said.

The crash occurred in the southbound lanes of the interstate. One driver suffered minor injuries and was transported to hospital. Traffic was blocked for about an hour.

"The driver of a Toyota Tundra swerved to avoid a rear-end collision and entered the express lane," the patrol said.

"He then collided with a Rivian R1T truck, causing the Rivian to spin out after impact and strike a Toyota 4Runner, a Nissan Rogue, a Chevrolet Colorado, and a Toyota Land Cruiser," the patrol said.

Meantime, a diesel spill closed eastbound I-76 in Adams County. "A semi was entering Interstate 76 on the eastbound on-ramp near Sheridan Blvd when its drive shaft broke, damaging the hydraulic lines and puncturing the diesel fuel saddle tank," the patrol said.

WILL ICE SERVE WARRANTS AT DENVER POLLING PLACES?

By Colorado Newsline

When Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin declared in September that Immigration and Customs Enforcement could serve warrants on individuals at polling places this fall, officials in Denver, a liberal city where roughly 14% of residents are foreign-born, quickly sued.

“Every day we find new things to be astonished about but I think that we just want residents to not be afraid to vote because that’s ultimately what the president was after,” Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, a Democrat, said in an interview with Colorado Newsline.

Johnston and other local and state officials across the country are bracing for possible federal election interference from now through Nov. 3 — even as they remain unsure of what will actually happen.

One month from Election Day, President Donald Trump’s long-running pressure campaign over elections is approaching a decisive moment. For the past year, the Trump administration has sought to bend the U.S. election system to the president’s will across multiple fronts, despite the Constitution’s guarantee that states administer elections.

Interviews and public comments by more than a dozen current and former election officials, legal experts, lawmakers and others ahead of the midterms reveal anxiety over what Trump may do. Election administrators often plan for natural disasters, bomb threats and other possible problems, but this year many are also thinking about possible disruptions driven by the federal government.

LINK

FBI, POLICE SEEK THORNTON BANK ROBBER

The FBI and local police are seeking information on a man who robbed a bank in Thornton. The crime occurred at 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 30 at a Chase Bank branch at 10404 Colorado Boulevard. No injuries were reported.

SHELTER-IN-PLACE LIFTED AFTER ELECTRIC AUTO FIRE IN ARAPAHOE COUNTY

UPDATE

Authorities lifted a shelter-in-place order after an electric auto fire belched black smoke over a neighborhood in Arapahoe County.

The auto burst into flames during the Tuesday morning rush hour at Arapahoe Road and Waco Street in Foxfield, according to South Metro Fire.
Firefighters let the vehicle "burn itself out," the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office said.

The driver escaped. No injuries were reported.

[Photos: South Metro Fire, Arapahoe County Sheriff]

PUEBLO COPS RECOVER STOLEN BISON SCULPTURE AND TRAILER

Police Monday recovered a bison statue and trailer that crooks towed away in Pueblo over the weekend.

"They do not appear to be damaged," the Pueblo Police Department said. The steel beast was recovered in the 1900-block of North Hudson Avenue. The theft occurred early Saturday at Spring Hills Suites, 170 South Santa Fe Avenue. The thieves were in a white pickup truck. There was no word on arrests. [Photo: Pueblo Police]

BLAZING SEMI SHUT DOWN I-70 IN CLEAR CREEK COUNTY

Fire engulfed a semi-truck Monday night, shutting down westbound lanes of I-70 near the Bakerville exit in Clear Creek County, the sheriff's office said. No injuries were reported. [Photo: Clear Creek County Sheriff]

FIRE ON SOUTH BROADWAY IN LITTLETON

Fire struck a commercial garage on South Broadway in Littleton on Monday night, South Metro Fire said. No injuries were reported. The building is located in the 6500-block.

[Photo: South Metro Fire]

COLD CASE: NO ARRESTS AFTER JURY ACQUITTED MAN IN DENVER COP MURDER

In 1972, a jury acquitted the suspect in the murder of Denver police officer Merle Nading at an East Colfax Avenue diner - and no one else was ever arrested.

Today, a street sign on Colfax honors Nading, who was 30. The slaying occurred Oct. 3, 1971.

The murder suspect, Kenneth Ray Green, 23, testified in his own behalf at trial, saying he was standing in a crowd that gathered near the crime scene, according to United Press International.

He was arrested after traveling to Texas.

"Jurors agreed with the defense that witness identifications of Green as the gunman were not credible," according to the Denver Police Museum. "The prosecution was hindered by the unwillingness of some witnesses to testify, and by other witnesses who recanted on the stand."

Two of Green’s brothers were charged with witness intimidation.

The killing occurred during a scuffle in the parking lot of Clark's Diner at 2201 East Colfax Avenue.

In the immediate aftermath, Patrolman Daril F. Cinquanta, 23, was shot and wounded questioning a possible suspect in the case in the 4400-block of Mariposa Street, according to the Rocky Mountain News.

That gunman was ruled out in the Nading murder.

[Photo: Officer Down Memorial]

2 DEAD IN AIRCRAFT CRASH IN BOULDER COUNTY

UPDATE

Searchers Monday located two bodies in the wreckage of a small aircraft that went missing in rocky terrain in Boulder County on Sunday night.

The flight originated in Longmont. The Boulder County Sheriff's Office said:  "A MedEvac helicopter and the Civil Air Patrol located the crash site of the missing aircraft south of the City of Boulder. Aircraft were further assisted by the Boulder Emergency Squad drone team. "The crash site is situated north of Eldorado Canyon State Park and south of the Flatirons, in an area of difficult terrain. Rescuers reached the crash site at about noon today."

The single-engine aircraft disappeared from air traffic control radar screens at about 9:42 p.m. Sunday.

An emergency radio beacon aboard the aircraft was activated leading searchers to the area.

FIREFIGHTER FALLS THROUGH FLOOR AT 2-ALARM BLAZE IN AURORA

A floor collapsed at a raging two-alarm house fire in Aurora, briefly trapping a firefighter.

The blaze broke out early Friday in the 16000-block of East Ithaca Place.

"Shortly after crews entered the home, a mayday was declared when a portion of the floor collapsed, causing a firefighter to fall with the floor," Aurora Fire said. "The firefighter was quickly removed from the structure and evaluated for injuries" and transported to hospital as a precaution, officials said. The blaze was declared under control after 40 minutes. The home wasn't occupied.

In a separate incident Friday, firefighters extinguished a fire in a room on the first floor of a Motel 6 in the 1000-block of South Abilene Street. Crews rescued a dog in an adjacent hotel room. One person suffered minor injuries.

[Photo: Aurora Fire]

FEMALE SUSPECT ARRESTED AFTER STANDOFF NEAR GRANBY

A female suspect was apprehended Sunday after a standoff with deputies and police near Granby, authorities said.

The incident occurred at the Granby Jones Trailer Park located at 925 East Garnet, according to the Grand County Sheriff's Office. No injuries were reported. The Grand County Emergency Response Team - which is staffed by members of Granby Police, Fraser Winter Park Police, Kremmling Police, and Grand County EMS - assisted the sheriff's office.

CROOKS RUSTLE METAL BISON SCULPTURE, TRAILER IN PUEBLO

Crooks in a white pickup truck towed away a homemade trailer carrying a bison sculpture from the Spring Hill Suites in Pueblo. The theft occurred at about 3:38 a.m. Saturday. "Video surveillance shows a white four door short bed pickup entered the parking lot," police said. "A short time later the pickup is seen leaving the parking lot with the trailer attached.

"The homemade trailer is described as black and had a passenger side access panel that was painted red with two pink ladder hooks on the side of the trailer." police said. Spring Hills Suites is located at 170 South Santa Fe Ave. It's not clear if the thieves were targeting the trailer, the metal sculpture - or both. If you have any information, contact Pueblo police Department (719) 553-2502 or Crime Stoppers (719) 542-STOP. [Photo: Pueblo Police]

SAFE AND SNUGGLING AT HOME AFTER TREK ALONG CONTINENTAL DIVIDE

Summit Lost Pet Rescue reports this adorable poodle terrier mix is safe and snuggling at home after wandering Boreas Pass, which is located on the Continental Divide near the border of Summit and Park counties. Elevation about 11,000 feet. [Photo: Summit Lost Pet Rescue]

'WINNIE' GIVES BIRTH TO HEALTHY PUP AT DENVER ZOO

The Denver Zoo's southern tamandua Winnie gave birth to a healthy pup in September after losing her first pup a year ago, the zoo announced Friday.

"Though this little one arrived nearly a month ahead of schedule, it was born fully developed and at a healthy weight," officials reported. "Winnie showed good maternal instincts, but nursing didn’t come quite as naturally to mom and baby at first."

Staff provided around-the-clock bottle feedings following the Sept. 7 birth.

"The pup is now nursing regularly from Winnie while our team continues to provide supplemental feedings and closely monitor their progress," the zoo said. "Winnie has been patient and attentive throughout, spending nearly all of her time with her pup in their nest box.

"This moment is especially meaningful for Winnie, who lost her first pup last year," the zoo said. "Seeing her care for this little one has been incredibly exciting and rewarding for our dedicated teams."

The father, named Santiago, also gets credit.

[Photo: Denver Zoo]  

PEDESTRIAN DEAD, STRUCK TWICE ON I-76 IN BRIGHTON

A man was struck by two vehicles while crossing I-76 on foot near East Bromley Lane in Broomfield on Saturday night.

The accident occurred in the eastbound lanes of the interstate.

The victim, 33, was pronounced dead on the highway, according to police. The motorists remained on the scene and cooperated with accident investigators.

AUTO SLAMS INTO FIRE ENGINE IN EL PASO COUNTY

In El Paso County, an auto slammed into a fire engine Friday. The auto crossed lanes near Vollmer Road and Glider Loop. The driver was transported to hospital. The firefighters were checked and "thankfully, everyone is okay," Black Forest Fire said. [Photo: Black Forest Fire]

ELDERLY MAN HURT IN ROAD RAGE SHOOTING AT I-70 AND COLFAX AVENUE

An elderly man was wounded by a road-rage gunman who blasted his auto with bullets in the vicinity of I-70 and Colfax Avenue, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said Thursday.

The incident occurred at about 9 p.m. Tuesday. "The victim’s vehicle was struck by five bullets," officials said. "One traveled through the vehicle and the driver’s seat, striking the victim in the back. Despite his injury, he was able to drive to the hospital." The suspect’s vehicle was described as a red four-door sedan, make and model unknown. "The victim told investigators that he and his wife were returning home to Arvada from a friend’s house in Golden when they had an altercation with the driver of a red car," officials said. "According to the victim, the suspect then pulled behind their vehicle and fired multiple rounds." The victim is in his 70s. He was treated at Lutheran Hospital. If you have information, contact the sheriff's office at (303) 980-7300.

COPS FIND MURDER VICTIM IN DENVER LODO

The body of a male murder victim was discovered in Denver's Lodo district, police said Thursday.

The location of the incident is in the 2100-block of North 15th Street. The victim is an adult.

The case was initially classified as an "outdoors death investigation." Detectives changed the classification several hours later to homicide.

Police provided no other details.

DOPE SUSPECTS ATTEMPT TO FLEE IN BROOMFIELD

Cops spotted an auto with a shattered windshield parked at a Kings Soopers in Broomfield - and the driver and passenger fled as they left the store and spotted the law.

The two - a man and a woman - were arrested and the police seized 84 grams of methamphetamine from beneath the auto's center console on Tuesday at the supermarket on Sheridan Boulevard. Officers became suspicious when they noticed the steering wheel had been tampered with. "Suspects sometimes go to great lengths to conceal drugs inside vehicles, hiding them behind panels, underneath consoles and in other compartments," police said.
The woman was also found to be in possession of a "small amount of fentanyl," police said. The two were booked into the Broomfield Detention Center.

[Photo: Broomfield Police]

BIG TRUCK HITS AUTO NEAR LIMON; 1 DEAD

A semi-truck slammed into an auto early Thursday south of Limon, killing the car's driver and injuring his teenage passenger.

The truck driver was also injured in the crash at the intersection of Highway 71 and Highway 94, according to the state patrol.

The semi apparently failed to stop at a stop sign and struck the auto's passenger's side, the patrol said.

The injured passenger, a girl, was airlifted to Denver. Limon is 90 miles southeast of Denver. 

DRONE SPOTS MEN POINTING GUNS AT EACH OTHER IN BOULDER

With the help of a drone, police located and arrested two men pointing guns at each other in south Boulder. One man was released. The other was detained - a felon with a gun and nearly 30 grams of drugs. He was also wanted by police in Denver.  

A police drone responding to a 911 call arrived overhead in a minute and spotted the men in separate trucks stopped at a traffic light on Baseline Road near Broadway. Police identified the suspect as Quinn Sims, 38, of Commerce City. The incident occurred Wednesday.

1 INJURED IN BELMAR BLAZE, DOGS SAVED

A person was sent to hospital from an apartment fire in Belmar early Thursday and rescuers saved two dogs, West Metro Fire said.

The blaze broke out at 6:20 a.m. in the 7200-block of West Center Avenue.
Firefighters "found heavy smoke coming from a ground-floor unit" and "quickly contained the fire to the room where it started," officials said. [Photo: West Metro Fire]

TODAY'S SERENE ROCKY MOUNTAIN ARSENAL NATURE PARK ONCE WAS FIERY INDUSTRIAL HELLHOLE

The old Rocky Mountain Arsenal - today a serene nature preserve - was once an industrial hellhole plagued by major fires that posed potentially catastrophic consequences for the Denver area.

The sprawling, secretive U.S. Army site in Commerce City was used to manufacture and store a variety of weapons. It was built during World War Two and closed 50 years later. Sections were leased to private industry after the war.

The popular nature preserve opened to the public in 2011 after an extensive cleanup.

A giant inferno at the old site threatened the wellbeing of the surrounding community on July 27, 1947, erupting in coal bunkers and spreading toward towering chlorine storage tanks and eight railroad chemical cars.

A hero locomotive engineer, James Priller, braved the heat and moved the cars and their volatile cargo - cutting the risk of all-out catastrophe.

"We'd have been powerless if those tanks exploded," Denver Fire Chief Allie Feldman said.

Miraculously, no one was hurt. The situation had been so bad that at one point that journalists covering the blaze were told they did so at their own risk, the Rocky Mountain News said.

On Oct. 11, 1951, a gasoline bomb fuse triggered an explosion that injured nine women. Two succumbed to their injures at Aurora's Fitzsimmons Army Hospital in Aurora.

On Feb. 28, 1952, fire destroyed a three-story building on the arsenal grounds operated by the Julius Hyman Chemical Company. On July 20, 1952, a worker died in an explosion on the fourth floor of another building on the arsenal used by the Hyman company.

On Oct. 24, 1953, flames erupted at a building housing the U.S. Army Chemical Corps. The Rocky Mountain News described the blaze as spectacular "with phosphorous bombs shooting hundreds of feet into the air."   

And on July 4, 1953, appropriately enough, there were more fireworks at yet another Hyman company operation on the arsenal grounds. "Flaming chemicals spurted out of pipes," the News said.

[Photo: U.S. Air Force]

COLD CASE: NICHOLAS DOLCE WANTED IN 1986 SLAYING OF HIS MOM IN TRINIDAD

Nicholas Joseph Dolce - AKA "Marty Whitehorse" and other aliases - is wanted for the murder of his mother more than 40 years ago in Trinidad.

Dolce, born Jan. 12, 1950, had a violent history prior to the slaying and started using heroin and speed as a youth.

His mother, Rebecca Bates, 64, was struck with a stick and stabbed on May 2, 1986, at her home at 218 East Johnson Avenue. After the killing, he showered, packed his belongings in his mother's auto - and set fire to the dwelling with gasoline. He was 36 at the time.

Dolce was last seen on Sept. 2 of that year. A potential sighting was reported in Trion, Georgia, in 2021. There was also a possible sighting at the 1987 Colorado State Fair in Pueblo.

In addition to Marty Whitehorce, Dolce used other aliases: Ed Velencia, Edward Bear, Amos A Maes, Richard Jake DanKert, Eddie Valcia, Edward Valcia, Eli Velasquez, Nick Dolsi, Dale Valicia, Edward Dale Valicia, Edward Dale Valcia, John McGregor and others.

At the time of the killing, Dolce was described as 5-foot-6, 130 pounds with brown eyes and brown hair, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. 

His left or right pinky finger had an untreated break and was shorter than the other. He also had a scar on his buttocks, a scar on one of his knees from a possible gunshot wound and a scar above his right eye.

Dolce may have been armed with a .25-caliber semi-automatic pistol.

[Photos: CBI]

PATROL SEEKS DRIVER IN GRUESOME I-270 DEATH

State troopers investigating the death of a man darting between autos on I-270 are seeking a motorist who believes they may have struck a deer or roadway debris.

They are also seeking witnesses.

The bizarre accident occurred on the westbound off-ramp to I-76 in Adams County on Aug. 20 at about 8:24 p.m.

Shortly thereafter, a second vehicle struck the downed pedestrian who "was believed to be already deceased," according to the state patrol. The driver of the second vehicle remained on scene. 

The victim, age 45, was reported to be running "back and forth" on the ramp, the patrol said. "No description is available of the vehicle that originally left the scene of the crash."

If you have information, contact the state patrol (303) 239-4501 in reference to case number VC260290. 

LAKEWOOD DRIVER PUTTERED THROUGH GOLF COURSE IN CHEYENNE

Motorist Gust Martinez Jr., 48, of Lakewood, was arrested after his GMC Sierra puttered through the golf course at the Cheyenne Country Club in Wyoming, police said. The suspect allegedly refused to stop and drove through a fence in what was described as a "slow-speed pursuit" on Monday evening. "Officers pursued the truck, following south on Randall Avenue," according to Cheyenne police. "As they followed, Martinez drove recklessly, at times on the wrong side of the road and running red lights.

"The pursuit ended when Martinez stopped the truck at the intersection of West 25th Street and Pioneer Avenue," police reported. "He continued to actively resist and fight with officers until he was taken into custody." Officers searched the Sierra and discovered a rifle with a modified stock. The suspect is a previously convicted felon and prohibited from possessing a firearm. Police made no mention of alcohol or drugs. The suspect faces a variety of charges including felony a weapons violation, destruction of property, reckless endangering, running a red light and stop sign. He was booked into the Laramie County Jail.

PERSON DIES IN APARTMENT FIRE IN FORT COLLINS

A person was pronounced dead after being pulled from a burning apartment in Fort Collins on Tuesday.

The incident occurred the 1000-block of Cunningham Drive, according to Poudre Fire Authority.

"Firefighters located the person, carried them to a safe location and began CPR," officials said. "A cat was also found deceased inside the unit."
There were no other casualties. A person in a neighboring apartment call 911 after smelling smoke. "Our hearts and thoughts are with all those affected by the loss," officials said.

[Photo: Poudre Fire]

KITTENS FOUND CUDDLED BENEATH HOME IN BROOMFIELD

Animal wardens rescued six newborn kittens cuddling beneath the side of a house in Broomfield and reunited them with their mother. "Mom and her kittens are now safe at the Humane Society of Boulder Valley," Broomfield police said. "Once the kittens are weaned and old enough to be spayed or neutered, they will all be available for adoption." The felines were taken into custody earlier this month after neighbors alerted Broomfield's Trap-Neuter-Return program, police said. [Photo: Broomfield Police]

NOT THEIR CANDIDATE: POLICE SEEK POLITICAL SIGN THIEF IN VAIL

Police in Vail are seeking a person responsible for snatching campaign signs for Eagle County Sheriff candidate Rebecca Anderson. The signs were plucked from traffic roundabouts on the morning of Sept. 24. Nine are missing, valued at about $100. Johnson is a Vail police sergeant. "A surveillance camera video shows a person exiting a customized green Ford Bronco at approximately 12:45 a.m. and then driving away moments later with one of the signs," police said Tuesday. If you have information, contact Vail police (970) 479-2200 or vailpolice@vail.gov. [Photo: Vail Police]

MORGAN MAYHEM: DRIVER OF STOLEN AUTO NABBED AFTER WILD CHASE

A stolen auto smashed through fences, tore up farmland, veered onto I-76 in the wrong direction, spun around and collided with cop cars in a wild chase in Morgan County.

The driver, identified as Samuel Curtis, 28, was arrested. He was sent to hospital and then booked into jail. A deputy located the vehicle - which had been stolen in Aurora - at the Flame Steakhouse on Highway 34 on Monday afternoon. "The driver initially appeared to comply with the deputy’s commands but then entered the vehicle and fled," the sheriff's office said. "Despite the vehicle traveling through fields, private property, county roads, and Interstate 76, no serious injuries were reported." A number of Morgan County sheriff’s vehicles sustained damage as did the stolen auto and agricultural property. Morgan County is located 80 miles northeast of Denver. [Photos: Morgan County Sheriff]

CAR SMASHES CONVENIENCE STORE IN GRAND JUNCTION

In Grand Junction, a car crashed into the Golden Gate gas station at 2395 G Road - causing major damage. Minor injuries were reported. "Alcohol is not suspected," police said.

[Photo: Grand Junction Police]

FORMER SUMMIT VIEW HOA CHIEF LYLE QUINT ACCUSED OF $150K THEFT

Lyle Quint, 72, longtime president of the Summit View Homeowners Association in Severance, was charged with stealing almost $150,000 from the organization, the Weld County District Attorney's Office said Monday.

The association alerted police in November 2025. Quint surrendered at the Weld County Jail on Friday. The thefts occurred between 2017 and 2025.

"Quint had served as president of the HOA since 2004 and was the sole board member beginning in 2020," the DA's office said. "A new HOA board was elected in April 2025."

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation led the probe and "identified approximately $147,635 in funds that were used for unauthorized expenses attributable to Quint," the DA's Office said.

[Photo: Weld County DA]