BIRD FLU CONFIRMED IN LARIMER, LOGAN, WELD COUNTIES

The state Agriculture Department confirmed three new cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in backyard flocks in Larimer and Logan Counties and a commercial egg operation in Weld County.

"All premises are currently under quarantine orders and control areas have been set up in Weld and Logan counties," the state reported. The discoveries were made last month. 

Dr. Maggie Baldwin, Colorado State Veterinarian, said: “We urge all flock owners to remain highly vigilant, monitor their birds closely for any signs of illness, and, most critically, to immediately reinforce and practice strict biosecurity measures to protect their flocks.”

Separately, police in Northglenn responded in recent days to nearly a dozen suspected cases of Avian Influenza involving wildlife, including geese and a great horned owl.

MYSTERY MURDER IN REMOTE ARAPAHOE COUNTY

A murdered woman was found in a remote part of unincorporated Arapahoe County, the sheriff's office said Tuesday.
"Deputies responded to a welfare check, where they discovered the body of a black female in her 20s" on Jan. 29 at about 8 a.m., officials said. The sheriff's office didn't provide the exact location of the gruesome discovery, saying only it was "east of the Denver metro area." Arapahoe County stretches from Aurora to well into the eastern prairie.

If you have information, call the sheriff's office at (720) 874-8477.

LITHIUM BATTERY FIRE BREAKS OUT ON SOUTH WADSWORTH IN LAKEWOOD

UPDATE

Firefighters extinguished a blaze caused by charging lithium batteries in a third-floor apartment early Tuesday in the 3900-block of South Wadsworth Street in Lakewood. Medics checked two people for smoke inhalation, West Metro Fire said.

[Photo: West Metro Fire] 

NO PACK: DENVER WATER WOES WORSEN

Our region's precious snowpack ended January at near-record lows, according to Denver Water's online TAP newsletter.
Nathan Elder, the public utility's manager of water resources, said: “We’re basically short by about 4-5 feet of snow.”

“The later into the winter season we go without big, regular snowstorms, the more concerning the situation becomes for our water supply heading into the summer,” Elder said.

“We still have three good months ahead of us to get some significant snow, and March and April are usually when we get our best snow, but the chances of fully catching up to ‘normal’ snowpack this year are dwindling,” he said.

[Photo: Denver Water]

DENVER FIRE CREWS FREE VICTIMS OF MANGLED WRECKS

Denver firefighters freed victims from a pair of mangled wrecks over the past 48 hours. An auto collided with a semi-truck in South Denver early Tuesday, officials said. Three vehicles crashed along the border with Lakewood early Sunday. One person died. West Metro Fire also responded to that wreck. . [Photos: Denver Fire Department]

HAITIAN REFUGEES SAFE FOR NOW

A federal judge late Monday blocked the termination of temporary protections for roughly 350,000 Haitians in the U.S. from taking effect, a move that prevents the Trump administration from acting to deport them as litigation continues, Colorado Newsline reports.

BIRD FLU STRIKES NORTHGLENN; GEESE, OWL INFECTED

Northglenn police responded in recent days to nearly a dozen suspected cases of Avian Influenza involving wildlife, including geese and a great horned owl. Bird flu "is a virus that naturally occurs in wild birds, especially waterfowl like geese and ducks," officials said. "While the risk to people is low, the virus can be dangerous to birds and other animals." "Sick birds may appear lethargic, unable to fly, walking in circles or unusually unafraid of people," officials said. "Keep pets away from sick or dead birds, as animals can become infected through contact." If you see dead multiple birds or wildlife acting strangely in Northglenn, call (303) 280-7821.

LAKEWOOD COP STOPS FELON SPEEDING AT 115 MPH, CARRYING ILLEGAL GUN

A police officer stopped an auto rocketing at 115 mph in Lakewood and discovered the driver was a felon illegally possessing a gun and ammunition, officials disclosed Monday.
The suburban speed demon was traveling in a 65-mph zone on West 6th Avenue near Indiana Street on Jan. 30. His driver's license had been revoked - and he had racked up a record of seven prior suspensions. "While the speed alone was life-threatening, the investigation revealed a much deeper threat to our community's safety," officials said.

[Photo: Lakewood police]

SWAT TEAM MAKES ARREST IN LOVELAND

A SWAT team arrested a suspect in a criminal investigation in Loveland, police said early Tuesday. The operation occurred near the 2600-block of North Monroe Avenue. The nature of the investigation wasn't disclosed. "The subject involved has been safely apprehended. There is no active shelter in place and no threat to the community," police said.

DOWNED IN DENVER: 1 HURT IN HIT & RUN

In what's becoming a regular occurrence this new year, another pedestrian was seriously injured in a hit-and-run crash in Denver.

The latest accident occurred at North Colorado Boulevard and Bruce Randolph Avenue, police said early Tuesday. No other information was released.

WATCH IT! HE BITES! BRAZEN PUPPY THIEF SENTENCED TO 8 YEARS IN PRISON

Dog thief Jonathan Muniz, 33, was sentenced to 8 years in prison for stealing two English Bulldog puppies worth more than $4,200 each from Perfect Pets in Centennial, prosecutors in Arapahoe County said Monday. Only one of the puppies was recovered by a woman who unknowingly purchased that cute canine and returned it. Store employees tried to stop the heartless bandit. “This sentence recognizes the harm caused to the store employees who bravely intervened, as well as the callous nature of stealing defenseless animals," said Erica Saluta, a deputy DA for the 18th Judicial District. The stiff sentence will run consecutive to a 12-year sentence for an assault in Adams County, unrelated to the puppy theft.

[Photos: Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office, 18th Judicial District]

COP SHOT, SERIOUSLY WOUNDED IN COLORADO SPRINGS; SUSPECT IS SHOT, TOO

UPDATE

A police officer was shot and seriously wounded Monday in Colorado Springs, a police spokeswoman said.

A suspect was also shot and seriously wounded in the incident in a residential neighborhood on East Bijou Street between Balfour and Trump avenues. Officers were investigating a report of a suspicious person when the shooting occurred, the spokeswoman said. The call was received at 1:38 p.m. The two incidents apparently weren't related. Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade said he met with the injured office and "prayed with him, and am grateful to share that he is expected to be released from the hospital soon." Monday's shooting is the second in three days involving Colorado Springs police. Officers wounded a knife-wielding woman who reached for a police shotgun in a patrol car on Saturday night. No officers were injured.

GUNMAN KILLS SELF IN BRIGHTON AFTER HOURS-LONG STANDOFF

A man who opened fire on officers was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound after an hours-long standoff in Brighton, police said Monday.

The incident, tied to a domestic dispute, started at 8:20 p.m. Sunday in the vicinity of Beldock and Chavez streets. A shelter-in-place order was lifted at 8:50 a.m. Monday. The Commerce City–Brighton Combined SWAT Team and crisis negotiators were on the scene. "While officers were attempting to make contact with him, the suspect fired several shots at officers," police said. "Officers did not return fire. No officers were injured during the incident.

"After repeated attempts over the course of several hours to contact the suspect and have him exit the residence safely, officers entered the home and located the male deceased with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound," police said. The man's name wasn't released. He was 48.

FIRE BREAKS OUT AT 'SEEL' UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO

UPDATE

Firefighters contained a blaze Monday at the experimental Sustainability, Energy and Environment Community at the University of Colorado in Boulder, campus police said.

The site, known as SEEL, was evacuated. No injuries were reported.

"Environmental Health & Safety and fire officials are on scene," police said in an emergency alert on social media. "The building is closed for the rest of the day."

COLLEGE STUDENT ACCUSED IN MURDER-FOR-HIRE PLOT

Jackson T. Keller, 19, a student at Fort Lewis College, is being held on charges of attempting to set up a murder-for-hire plot, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation said Monday.

"The investigation began January 28, which uncovered evidence suggesting the suspect allegedly attempted to persuade two separate parties to commit the murder of a fellow student in exchange for a cash payment," CBI said.

Keller was arrested the next day and booked into the La Plata County Jail. He faces charges of Criminal Solicitation for First Degree Murder Homicide in the First Degree and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon on College Grounds.

Fort Lewis College is located in Durango and "the Fort Lewis College Police Department and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation confirmed there is no ongoing threat to the campus community related to this incident," CBI said.

LOST CAT TRACKED DOWN AFTER I-70 CRASH NEAR EISENHOWER TUNNEL

Kitty is safe. Summit Lost Pet Rescue located this cat who broke loose after an auto accident on I-70 near the Eisenhower Tunnel last month.

[Photo: Summit Lost Pet Rescue] 

COPS SEEK CLUES IN BRECKENRIDGE BIKE PATH DEATH

Breckenridge police are hunting for clues in the death of a man found on the Blue River bike path behind the City Market at 400 North Park Street early Sunday. Detectives are attempting to establish a timeline of events between 10 a.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. Sunday in the vicinity of City Market, North French Street between Park Avenue and Main Street and the bike path behind City Market, police said.

If you witnessed "suspicious activity or individuals" during those hours, call Breckenridge police at (970) 668-8600. Police said: "Life-saving measures were initiated by a bystander and a responding Breckenridge officer. These efforts continued with the arrival of Red, White and Blue Fire Protection District and subsequent transport to St. Anthony’s Summit Hospital."

DENVER POLICE LOCATE GUNMAN WITH HELP OF DRONE

Using a drone, police tracked down a youth accused of firing a gun inside an apartment building in the 1200-block of North Galapago Street in Denver.

No one was hurt in the Jan. 19 incident. Police recovered two weapons, one of which was stolen. The drone was first to arrive on the scene and provided an overhead view as officers entered the building.

"The suspect attempted to flee," police said. "During the foot chase, he produced a handgun and threw it over the railing to the ground below.

"DPD's Drone Unit located the discarded firearm and maintained visual until officers recovered it," police said. "Officers quickly detained the suspect and discovered he was carrying a second handgun in a front satchel."

[Photo: Denver Police Department]

DENVER COPS HUNT SUV IN CROSSWALK HIT & RUN TRAGEDY

Denver police Sunday released a traffic camera photo (right) of a black SUV wanted in a Jan. 30 hit-and-run accident that seriously injured two pedestrians in a crosswalk at East 8th Avenue and Ash Street.

AUTO CHASED BY LARIMER COUNTY DEPUTIES CRASHES, 2 DEAD

An auto chased by Larimer County deputies slammed into a utility police early Sunday, killing two men and injuring a woman, the sheriff's office.

The chase reached speeds of up to 120 mph on northbound I-25 and ended near the intersection of Pheasant Crest Drive and Weld County Road 84. 

It all started in Loveland - near East 57th Street and North Garfield Avenue. 

The deputy "noticed a vehicle that was missing lights and a license plate," officials said. "The driver turned off all the vehicle’s lights and sped away before the deputy could initiate a traffic stop. The deputy activated his lights and sirens, but the suspect refused to stop."

2 FATAL WRECKS IN DENVER OVERNIGHT

One person died and three others were injured early Sunday in a three-vehicle wreck at Sheridan Boulevard and Morrison Road in Denver, police said. The fatality was pronounced dead at the scene. The injured were taken to hospital. Meantime, on eastbound I-70 a person died in a single-vehicle crash near North Tennyson Street in Denver.

COLD CASE: MURDER ON WEST 44TH AVENUE IN SEPTEMBER 1970

This is the suspected gunman in the murder of Vincent Ruiz - a decades-old cold case in the Colorado Bureau of Investigation's online database.

Ruiz, 23, was shot in the chest during a fight on West 44th Avenue in Denver by three young men - accompanied by three teenage girls - cruising in a black 1962 Ford on Sept. 8, 1970, police said at the time.

Those six would be in their 70s or 80s today. Perhaps others know about the Ruiz murder, too. If you have information, call the anonymous CrimeStoppers hotline at (720) 913-7867.

The suspects' Ford was described as being shiny, meaning it was probably well maintained, someone's prized possession. 

The victim's brother-in-law, Joseph Archuletta, was riding with Ruiz and provided details of the crime to Denver police, as reported by the Rocky Mountain News. He was shot at, too, but escaped injury.  

The tragedy unfolded when one of the men in the Ford made an obscene gesture toward Ruiz and Archuletta, who were driving to a fast-food eatery. A short time later the pair encountered the Ford again on West 44th Avenue at Lowell Boulevard - and three shots rang out.

The cars continued west to Bryant Street where the Ford forced Ruiz and Archuletta to turn north. The cars stopped and the confrontation ensued. 

The three men jumped out of the Ford and Ruiz jumped out of his car - with Archuletta following carrying a torque wrench and chain.

Ruiz grabbed hold of the wrench and chain when more shots rang out - and he took a bullet to the chest.

The three men hopped back in the Ford and sped off, still with the teenage girls still inside - and lobbed more bullets toward Archuletta during their getaway.

Archuletta said the gunman was aged 24 to 28, of heavy build with black combed back hair, stood 5-foot-8 and weighed 180 pounds. The two other men were described as white, aged 18 to 21, and of small build. There was no description of the girls.

The Ford's license plate contained the numbers 49 or 94. 

Police found Ruiz outside 2545 West 44th Avenue. He resided at 4603 Clay Street.

Vincent Ruiz

[Images: Denver Police Department]

SHOOTING ON ALTON IN DENVER

A person was shot Saturday in the 500-block of North Alton Way in Denver and driven to hospital in a private auto. The injuries weren't life-threatening, police said. No other details were released.

WOMAN SHOT REACHING FOR GUN IN COP CAR

UPDATE

Cops shot a knife-wielding woman who reached for a police shotgun in a patrol car Saturday night in Colorado Springs.

The woman is expected to survive. No officers were injured. The incident occurred on Delaware Drive near Marion Drive, police said.

The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the shooting, KKTV reported.