WINTER IN ROCKIES, SPRING IN DENVER AREA

While Denver enjoys another day of spring, forecasters issued a Winter Weather Advisory for up to inches of snow in the Park and Gore ranges - including Rabbit Ears Pass - until early Tuesday. Our photo shows conditions on Monday morning at the Eisenhower Tunnel. The National Weather Service sees lighter snowfall for the Front Range Mountains and Summit County and locally up to 8 inches in Rocky Mountain National Park and Indian Peaks.

The Denver area, meantime, is forecast to bask in sunshine and mild temperatures through Wednesday though snow is possible Thursday. [Photos: National Weather Service]

NWS Cheyenne

NWS Pueblo

WHODUNNIT? DEADLY DENVER SHOOTING OCCURRED AT MADURO CAPTURE CELEBRATION IN GANGLAND; MOTIVE UNKNOWN

UPDATE

Reports say the weekend shooting that killed one person and injured three others in Denver occurred at a celebration marking the U.S. military's capture of Venezuelan President Maduro.

Venezuelan gangsters have had a stranglehold on parts of the Denver area. The motive of Saturday night's party shooting isn't known. Police are sifting through clues.

The crime occurred at a parking lot in the vicinity of East Hampton Avenue and South Galena Street, police said. A boy, 16, died. Three men in their 20s were hurt.

TV images show a food truck with a Venezuelan flag was at the event. The area near the truck was cordoned off by police on Sunday.

One victim was transported to hospital by ambulance, two were taken by a private auto and the fatally wounded teen was driven to the area of Iliff Avenue and Havana Street and pronounced dead. "The investigation is ongoing," police said Sunday.

PEDESTRIAN DIES IN AURORA

Reports say a pedestrian was fatally injured at East Colfax Avenue and Peoria Street in Aurora on Saturday night.

DENVER SHOOTING ON SHERIDAN

A person was injured Sunday in a shooting in the 800-block of North Sheridan Boulevard in Denver, police said.

WANNABE POSTAL CARRIER FORWARDED TO PRISON

Zachary Jones was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for breaking into post offices in Watkins, Sedalia and Dacono and making off with certified mail, postal carrier uniforms and other items.

The stolen property was recovered in Jone's hotel room and auto, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service said Saturday.

The wannabe postman was also found in possession of a gun, a point-of-sale terminal, personnel files, mailbox keys and post office box applications, officials said. Jones had a prior criminal record and was prohibited from carrying the gun.

[Photo: USPIS]

ODD NEWS: LITTLE GREEN MEN CLAIMS

London's Daily Star reports America's military retrieved about 10 crashed UFOs - including alien remains - and planned reverse-engineer the technology. Thes newspaper cites whistleblower claims. The British planned to do the same, the Star reports.

MAN, 77, ARRESTED AFTER STANDOFF

Police arrested David Martin, 77, after a standoff in Monte Vista, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation said. He is accused of shooting a woman in the arm. The incident occurred Saturday on Second Avenue in the Rio Grande County community.

CREEPY CASE

Anthony Fisher, 28, was arrested Sunday on charges of false imprisonment and harassment of a teenage girl, the Weld County Sheriff's Office said. Deputies took Fisher into custody in the 4700-block of Grand Canyon Drive in the Hill N Park subdivision. [Photo: Weld County Sheriff's Office]

FIREFIGHTERS SAVE 5 PUPS FROM ADAMS COUNTY BLAZE

Adams County firefighters rescued five puppies from a mobile home fire Saturday night in the 6800-block of Ruth Way, officials said. [Photo: Adams County Fire Rescue]

WIND-DRIVEN BLAZE HITS LAKEWOOD; 1 HURT, PETS RESCUED

UPDATE

West Metro firefighters aided people and pets Sunday at a wind-driven blaze at The Pines Apartments in Lakewood. Flames swept apartments on the second and third floors and caused significant smoke and water damage throughout the building in the 12900-block of West Maple Place. Fifteen residents were displaced. One person was sent to hospital with "non-life threatening" injuries and firefighters assisted another from the building, West Metro said. Firefighters also rescued two dogs and located a cat - but one dog died. "The fire started on a second-floor balcony," officials said. "Fueled by windy conditions, the fire quickly spread to the third floor and into the attic space, extending into the interior of two apartments." [Photo: West Metro Fire Rescue]

SHOOTING RANGE BLAZE SCORCHES 200 ACRES OF PRAIRIE; AERIAL TANKER CALLED

Eastern Colorado firefighters - aided by farmers and an aerial tanker - stopped a 200-acre, wind-driven prairie fire Saturday at the Logan County Shooting Sports Complex.

No injuries were reported. No structures were damaged. The Sterling Fire Department said: "Duty crews from Station 1 responded and the call was quickly upgraded to a general alarm and county wide mutual aid was requested." "A Single Engine Air Tanker (SEAT) was also called in and made multiple drops on the head of the fire, helping to slow it down and allow crews to contain it," the fire department said. Farmers, privately-owned water tenders and a county road grader assisted fire crews. Logan County is located in northeast Colorado along I-76. [Photos: Sterling Fire Department]

ROCKSLIDE CLOSED I-70 WESTBOUND

UPDATE

A rockslide Sunday closed westbound I-70 near Glenwood Springs in western Colorado, the Garfield County Sheriff's Office said. The interstate reopened after several hours. No injuries reported. [Photo: Garfield County Sheriff's Office]

WAITS FOR COLFAX BUS, SEES SMOKE, CALLS 911

West Metro and Arvada firefighters extinguished a blaze at a vacant building at West Colfax Avenue Oak Street in Lakewood early Sunday. "A 911 caller, waiting at the nearby RTD bus stop, saw smoke coming from the back side of the building," officials said. No injuries reported.

RED FLAG WILDFIRE WARNINGS SUNDAY

Round up the usual suspects! Wind gusts, dry brush and timber and low humidity forced fresh Red Flag wildfire warnings for Sunday. Elevated risk could extend into Monday, the National Weather Service says. 

1 DEAD, 3 HURT IN DENVER SHOOTING

UPDATE

A shooting killed one person and injured three others in Denver late Saturday, police said. The crime occurred in the vicinity of South Galena Street and East Hampden Avenue. One victim was transported to hospital by ambulance, two were taken by a private auto and the fatally wounded victim was driven to the area of Iliff Avenue and Havana Street and pronounced dead, police said.

LEETSDALE INFERNO MIRRORS EMERSON STREET, AURORA BLAZES; ILLUSTRATES GRAVE BUILDING SITE RISKS

Friday night's inferno on Denver's Leetsdale Drive illustrates - once again - dangers lurking at construction sites, such the deadly 2018 Emerson Steet conflagration pictured above.

Exposed and stored lumber and other combustible construction materials, gases and fluids - with even a smattering of Rocky Mountain wind - are a formula for disaster.

Two workers died in Denver's Emerson Street blaze, which roasted 30 parked cars and blistered a dozen neighboring buildings on March 7, 2018. Six people were injured. The clean-up was costly and extensive.

Emerson Street was a three-alarm fire. Friday's Leetsdale blaze went to five alarms and required the assistance of South Metro and Aurora fire crews. Denver Water also provided help, ramping up fire hydrant pressure.

Denver, of course, is not unique. Neighboring Aurora was the scene of a pair of construction site infernos in December 2023.

A Dec. 16 blaze - bottom photo - at East Colfax Avenue and Peoria Street also went to five alarms - Aurora's worst blaze in terms of property loss, estimated at $150 million. A Dec. 14 building site fire at South Addison Court went to three alarms.

[Photos: Denver Fire Department, Aurora Fire Rescue]

Colfax and Peoria in Aurora in 2023 

MONSTER FIRE DESTROYS 'CITY BLOCK' IN DENVER; BLAZE GOES TO 5 ALARMS, FIREFIGHTER INJURED, EVACUATIONS ORDERED

UPDATE

A monster five-alarm blaze erupted Friday night on Leetsdale Drive in Denver - illuminating the night sky and forcing evacuations.

The giant fire - one of the largest in years - ripped through an apartment building construction site. Images from the scene showed massive destruction. One firefighter was injured, officials said. 

Police shut down traffic on the major thoroughfare at South Forest Street. Firefighters and emergency services from across the city sped to the scene while a police helicopter circled above. South Metro Fire Rescue sent assistance and the City of Glendale set up a temporary shelter.

Flames and intense heat held fire crews at bay as they struggled to play water streams on the burning building. The sound of burning and crashing lumber filled the air. Nearby residents on social media reported power outages in the area. 

“This fire ran freely from one end of this building to the (other)," Robert Murphy, operations division chief for Denver Fire Department, told Denver 7. "It’s a complete city block and it is on fire.”
The incident recalls a huge blaze at an apartment complex under construction at East Colfax Avenue and Peoria Street in Aurora in December 2023 - one the largest in that city's history.

[Photos: Denver Fire Department, South Metro Fire Rescue, social media]

CLIMBER SAVED AFTER PARTNER PLUNGES ON CITADEL PEAK; NATIONAL GUARD CHOPPER AIDS RESCUE

A National Guard Blackhawk UH-60 helicopter airlifted rescuers to a stranded climber whose companion plunged to his death on Citadel Peak, the Alpine Rescue Team said Friday.

The military chopper - equipped with a hoist - carried three of the rescue team's technicians to the scene of Wednesday's mishap in Clear Creek County.

The stranded climber told a 911 operator she and her climbing partner were ascending a treacherous route when the accident occurred.

"She was stranded on the ridge at between 12,800 and 13,000 feet but uninjured," a rescue team public information officer, Steve Wilson, told the Daily Sketch.

The man fell several hundred feet into a basin below a ridge. His body was recovered.

An initial aerial rescue was scrubbed. High winds prevented a Flight for Life Colorado helicopter from landing. However, the crew pinpointed the woman's "precarious position," Wilson said.

Clear Creek Fire Rescue, Clear Creek EMS, Summit County Rescue Group and Grand County Search and Rescue also responded to the mountain emergency.

[Photos: Alpin Rescue Team]

One of the helicopters over the accident site

E-470 TRAGEDY IN ARAPAHOE COUNTY

A truck killed a man who deliberately stepped into traffic on northbound E-470 Friday near the Gartrell exit in Arapahoe County, the state patrol said.

FIREFIGHTERS PAY TOUCHING TRIBUTE TO BAYFIELD FIRE VICTIMS

The Upper Pine River Fire Protection District identified the victims of a fatal house fire in Bayfield as long-time residents Jim Fitzgerald, a retired college professor, and Terry Fitzgerald, a retired nurse.

The flames broke out on Tuesday "around a propane powered space heater," officials said. "The home was rapidly consumed by fire." The dwelling was built in 1910 with the timber from around the property. The fire district paid tribute to the couple who lived on County Road 525, saying: "They both perished in the fire much like they lived, inseparable, robustly connected to the land." The Fitzgeralds moved into their home in 1970 "to have spectacular views and bring a special tree Jim loved into view. A place their two daughters grew up to love. Some of the adobe walls at the home were a group effort by family, making the bricks from the mud in the canyon," the fire district said. "They raised draft horses, particularly Belgiums, sheep and a few milk cows. Frequent attendees at the Bayfield Farmers market. Jim was a professor at Fort Lewis and Terry an RN. They touched many lives in Bayfield and LaPlata County, but most of all they valued the land and what it had to offer living a sustainable lifestyle. There were good people and will be missed by many." [Photo: Public Domain]

FATAL WRECK ON I-25 NEAR WALSENBURG

A person died Friday in a three-vehicle crash on southbound I-25 south of Walsenburg, the state patrol said. Traffic had slowed for an accident that occurred minutes before the fatal crash.

FLAMES ERUPT AT INDUSTRIAL PLANT IN NIGHTTIME DRAMA

Firefighters extinguished a stubborn industrial blaze late on New Year's Day at Colorado Mills, a producer of sunflower oil and livestock feed in Lamar, city officials said. “Their rapid response kept the fire contained and protected nearby properties," Mayor Kirk Crespin said Friday. "Colorado Mills reports only minimal disruption and is expected to resume normal operations today.”

The blaze started in a hopper and a roaster on the second level of the towering plant. No injuries were reported. Lamar Fire & Emergency Services said: "It took crews approximately 30 minutes to fully extinguish the blaze and transition into overhaul operations to ensure no hidden hotspots remained."

The Prowers County Rural Fire Department also answered the alarm.

[Photos: Lamar Fire & Emergency Services]

FEWER MURDERS IN DENVER LAST YEAR

The number of murders across Denver dropped by almost 50% in 2025, Police Chief Ron Thomas announced Friday. The city suffered 37 homicides, down from 70 in 2024 as police get illicit weapons off the streets.

NEW YEAR'S EVE HOMICIDE: POLICE SEEK KILLER SEDAN IN DENVER HIT & RUN CRASH

Police issued an all-points bulletin for a sedan suspected in the New Year's Eve hit-and-run crash that killed a pedestrian on South Federal Boulevard in Denver, Metro Crime Stoppers said Friday.

The killer vehicle - colored as gray or silver - was traveling southbound. It may have damage on the passenger side.

The pedestrian was crossing in the 1200-block of Federal and was pronounced dead at a hospital, according to Denver police.

STATE PATROL: PAY ATTENTION PEDESTRIANS! FOLLOW SAFETY RULES

Special to the Daily Sketch

In winter, shortened daylight hours and blowing snow can hamper visibility for drivers. To protect pedestrians, the Colorado State Patrol recommends that both pedestrians and drivers follow these safety tips.

Pedestrians

1. Remember to look both ways before stepping out into the street.
2. Wear bright or reflective clothing in low light and poor weather conditions. 
3. Stay in Your Lane by only crossing at intersections and crosswalks. Make eye contact with drivers before stepping onto the street. 
4. Avoid walking along rural roadways with little to no shoulders and access-controlled roads, like highways. These are not designated for pedestrians. 

“When pedestrians aren’t following rules designed to protect them or are present on roadways that are not designed for their use, it poses a significant hazard to drivers as well as themselves,” said Colonel Matthew C. Packard, chief of the state patrol.

Motorists

1. Avoid distractions. A vehicle going 25 mph travels 36 feet per second. Looking at your phone or changing radio stations for just a few seconds can reduce your chances of stopping in time to avoid a pedestrian. 
2. Slow down in snow or ice; observe the speed limit in all other conditions. 
3. Keep your tires in good condition. Colorado's Traction Law requires all tires to have at least 3/16" of tread depth. 
4. Wear your sunglasses in winter. Glare from the sun and snow can obscure vision, especially during commuting times on foot or by bike, such as early morning and late afternoon. 
5. Take extra care when backing out. Whether parked in a parking lot or backing out of a driveway, snow piles up and other cars can block the view. 

MAJOR OVERNIGHT FIRES STRIKE COLORADO SPRINGS

 

UPDATE

Firefighters battled a pair of major overnight blazes in Colorado Springs, the fire department said early Friday.

A raging two-alarm fire destroyed a home at 915 Darby Street (photo above). The occupant escaped. There were no injuries. No pets were lost. Firefighters also responded to an apartment building fire at 2220 East Bijou Street (photo below). No injuries were reported. Meantime, during daylight hours Thursday, fire broke out at the Creekside Apartments at 3431 West Colorado Avenue. Officials reported no injuries. [Photos: Colorado Springs Fire Department]

RANGERS SUSPECT MOUNTAIN LION KILLED WOMAN IN LARIMER COUNTY ATTACK

UPDATE

A mountain lion is suspected of killing a woman in Larimer County on New Year's Day, the first such tragedy in a quarter century.

The woman's body was found on Crosier Mountain Trail and first responders - with the aid of hounds - tracked down and killed two mountains lion in the vicinity.

It wasn't immediately clear if they were the predators involved.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife provided this account:

At about 12:15 p.m., "hikers reported seeing a mountain lion near a person lying on the ground from approximately 100 yards away. As they approached, the witnesses scared the lion from the area by throwing rocks at the animal. The hikers then attended to the adult woman victim but did not find a pulse." 

"Officers located one lion at the scene, shot the animal and it ran from the area. Officers tracked the mountain lion and it was euthanized. A short time later, a second mountain lion was found nearby and euthanized. It is unknown if one or multiple animals were involved in the suspected attack."

The last fatal mountain attack on a human occurred in 1999, officials said. In July, a mountain lion killed a family dog on a walk with its owners in Boulder. A mountain lion was also suspected in the disappearance of a family dog in Erie in October.

Park rangers advise: "Mountain lions are more visible in winter as they follow deer and elk to lower elevations. If lions are spotted, make noise to scare them from the area, hold objects overhead to appear bigger and start backing away from the animal. Pets should be kept on-leash and not interact with wildlife."  

A state biologist conducting an annual aerial survey of deer herds also assisted in Thursday's search for the killer animals.

[Photo: National Wildlife Foundation]

3 AUTOS COLLIDE IN DENVER

A person suffered serious injuries on New Year's Day in a three-vehicle crash at South Elliot Street and West Kentucky Avenue in Denver, police said.

BIG RIG FLIPS IN WESTERN SLOPE HAZMAT MISHAP

A semi-truck flipped and rolled on Highway 13 in Moffat County on New Year's Day, spilling hazardous material and forcing the closure of the roadway, the sheriff's office said. Craig Fire/Rescue and the state patrol responded, too.

[Photo: Moffat County Sheriff's Office]

TESTS AT 3 TIMES LEGAL LIMIT AFTER ARAPAHOE CRASH

Deputies arrested a driver whose blood alcohol level tested at more than three times the legal limit after a New Year's Eve crash at East Dry Creek Road and I-25 in Arapahoe County, the sheriff's office said. He faces a DUI charge. The wreck caused minor injuries. [Photo: Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office]

NORTHBOUND ON I-25? WIND DANGER FROM STATE LINE INTO WYOMING

Wind gusts of 60 to 65 mph are forecast through Friday night from the Colorado state line well north and west into Wyoming, according to the National Weather Service.

NEW YEAR'S BLAZE IN COLORADO SPRINGS

Fire broke out on New Year's Day at the Creekside Apartments at 3431 West Colorado Avenue in Colorado Springs. No injuries were reported. Members of Engine Company 5 get the credit for knocking down the flames, fire officials said. [Photos: Colorado Springs Fire Department]

ARREST SUSPECT IN BROADWAY SHOOTING IN DENVER

Police arrested Fabien Lanford, 21, for investigation of attempted first-degree murder stemming from a New Year's shooting in Denver. The gunfire erupted overnight at Broadway and Cedar Avenue. "The victim is expected to survive," police said.

NOW IT'S HOMICIDE: PEDESTRIAN DIES OF INJURIES FROM DENVER HIT & RUN

Police Thursday announced the death of a pedestrian injured in a New Year's Eve hit-and-run tragedy in the area of Federal Boulevard and Arizona Avenue. If you have information, call Crime Stoppers 720-913-7867.

TRUE CRIME: BUNCO KING LOU BLONGER AND DENVER'S 'MILLION DOLLAR BUNCO RING'

For more than thirty years, conman supreme Lou Blonger controlled Denver's underworld with his "Million Dollar Bunco Ring."

Denver was an "Open Town" and Blonger's influence extended to police and politicians until the arrival of District Attorney Philip S. Van Cise, who assembled a secret squad - including Colorado Rangers - to break the Blonger bunch.

In Blonger's "Big Con," crooks set up fake stock exchanges and betting parlors to swindle tourists, travelers and everyday suckers. The 1973 Paul Newman movie "The String" is a fairly accurate representation, according to Wikipedia.

After months of gathering evidence, Van Cise led a raid on Aug. 24, 1922, arresting Blonger and 32 others - and holding them in a church basement instead of the city jail to prevent political interference.

The trial in February 1923 was marked by jury-tampering attempts, however, after 102 hours of deliberation, the jury found Blonger and 19 associates guilty on March 28, 1923.

Sentenced to seven to ten years behind bars, the fallen boss was locked up at the state penitentiary in Canon City and died several months after his trial. He was 74.

In his heyday, Blonger and his brother, Sam, owned saloons and gambling houses in the vicinity of 17th and Larimer streets in downtown Denver as well as the extravagant Elite Saloon at 1628 Stout St., according to Wikipedia.

[Photo: Private Collection]

FINDING FIRE IN HAYSTACK ON NEW YEAR'S EVE

Eerie scenes on New Year's Eve - a trailer carrying hay ablaze on Highway 109 in Las Animas County.

[Photos: Kim Area Volunteer Fire Department and Ambulance Service]

NEW YEAR'S SHOOTINGS IN DENVER

A person was injured in an overnight shooting at Broadway and Cedar Avenue in Denver, police said. In a separate incident, a person was shot in the vicinity of 19th and Larimer streets.

TRUCK, LIGHT RAIL TRAIN COLLIDE ON NEW YEAR'S EVE IN DENVER

The Denver Post reports a truck and RTD light rail train collided on New Year's Eve at 27th and Welton streets, injuring one person.

ARREST DRIVER ACCUSED OF RUNNING DOWN DOG

Police tracked down a man accused of running down a dog with his car and fleeing after an argument with its owner in Grand Junction, police said Wednesday.

The dog died. The crime occurred at Hawthorne Park at 400 Gunnison Avenue on Oct. 11. Police identified the suspect as Dylan Lange, 32. He was jailed Tuesday and charged with criminal mischief, harassment and cruelty to animals.

1 INJURED IN HIT & RUN IN DENVER

A pedestrian was seriously injured late Wednesday in a hit-and-run accident in the vicinity of Federal Boulevard and Arizona Avenue, police said.