HUNDREDS OF POUNDS OF WEED DUMPED IN WELD COUNTY

 

For the second time in six months, deputies discovered trash bags full of weed in Weld County - and the latest haul totaled 427 pounds, the sheriff's office said Wednesday. The latest mystery discovery was made on Friday the 13th at a dumpster in the 15000-block of Weld County Road 6. The person who called deputies "advised there were more trash bags of a similar nature to the west of the location," the sheriff's office said. "Deputies drove Weld County Road 6 to look for the bags and found approximately six more trash bags containing suspected marijuana leaves." In August, deputies made a similar discovery near Weld County Road 20 and Colorado Boulevard.

[Photo: Weld County sheriff]

DENVER HOUSE FIRE STARTED IN DISH WASHER, NO INJURIES

Denver firefighters battled a house fire that started in a dishwasher on Wednesday.

No injuries were reported in the blaze in the Hilltop area.
Fire officials said: "Chief 3 arrived first on scene with Engine 5, reporting fire in the kitchen area. Engine 19s secured a water supply, and Truck 19 conducted primary and secondary searches — all searches were negative." The officials also said: "Electrical appliance fires can spread rapidly — ensure appliances are properly maintained and never ignore unusual smells, sparks, or tripped breakers." [Photos: Denver Fire Department]

COPS ARREST TWO IN DOZENS OF BURGLARIES TARGETING HISPANIC BUSINESSES

Detectives arrested two suspects in dozens of burglaries targeting Hispanic businesses across the Denver area and seized guns, stolen vehicles and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, the Commerce City Police Department announced Wednesday. The pair are accused of committing at least six high-dollar burglaries in Commerce City and as many as three dozen total across the Denver region. "Thieves began targeting and terrorizing primarily Hispanic businesses back in November, using stolen vehicles to get to the scene of their crimes overnight, then prying or ramming doors to gain entry to our local shops and restaurants," officials said. "They stole safes, broke into ATMs, and in one case even tampered with laundry machines to access the money inside them," officials said. The suspects were arrested Friday.

[Photos: Commerce City police]

DANGEROUS DUST STORMS ON TAP AGAIN

The National Weather Service in Pueblo warned of dust and snow casing "deteriorating conditions" beginning on Wednesday afternoon. Brownout conditions caused a deadly pileup on I-25 Tuesday in Pueblo. Forecasters also issued a Red Flag fire warning.

DEATH COUNT IN I-25 TRAGEDY RISES TO 5

UPDATE

A fifth person died in hospital of injuries sustained in the giant I-25 pileup in Pueblo, the state patrol said Wednesday.

Four people were pronounced dead at the scene of Tuesday's crash involving 29 passenger vehicles and seven semis during a dust storm and near zero visibility. Twenty-nine people were transported to hospital.

A motorist told Fox 31: "I’m still in kind of shock. Everything happened so fast."

All the casualties occurred in northbound lanes. Debris was scattered across the interstate. The cleanup went on for more that 13 hours.

The patrol said the deceased victims were Colorado residents.

Governor Jared Polis said: "I’m grateful to the Colorado State Patrol and first responders who worked quickly in dangerous conditions."

[Photo: Colorado State Patrol]

MAN FLEES COPS ON FOOT, TROTS ONTO I-25 IN WESTMINSTER

Officers arrested a trespassing suspect who fled onto I-25 in Westminster and "made it a respectable distance ... just not far enough," police said. He was jailed after the Feb. 7 sprint. [Photo: Westminster police]

MURDER SUSPECT CAUGHT IN RURAL CHEYENNE COUNTY

In rural Cheyenne County in eastern Colorado, deputies stopped a murder suspect Tuesday on Highway 287, the sheriff's office said. The person was arrested without incident. Their auto had been tracked by surveillance cameras. Kiowa County deputies assisted.

OVERNIGHT BLAZE STRIKES APARTMENT BUILDING IN LITTLETON

CLICK FOR UPDATE

Flames and smoke damaged an apartment building late Tuesday in Littleton, displacing residents.

Paramedics treated one person at 5531 South Delaware Street, South Metro Fire said. The cause of the blaze was under investigation. Littleton police said a "large amount of smoke" was pouring from one apartment. [Photo: South Metro Fire]

DENVER COPS SEIZE CREDIT CARD SKIMMER, NARCOTICS

Denver police officers stopped an auto and seized a credit card skimming device, gift cards, a fake ID and a journal with credit card numbers. They also found narcotics and "observed drug paraphernalia in plain view" - and arrested the female driver for investigation of forgery and possession of a controlled substance, officials revealed Tuesday. The incident occurred near East 14th Avenue and North Lafayette Street on Feb 7.

AUTO HITS BICYCLE IN DENVER

A bicycle rider was injured Tuesday night in a collision with an auto near East Evans Avenue and South Broadway Street in Denver, police said. The motorist remained on the scene. No other details were released.

DENVER ICE AGENTS CATCH FUGITIVE MS-13 GANGSTER

ICE agents assigned to the Denver field office arrested a known member the blood-thirsty MS-13 gang, officials said Tuesday.

Carlos Membreno Portillo, a fugitive, was taken into custody Monday in Grand Junction and will be jailed until he is expelled from the U.S.

He's wanted in El Salvador "for aggravated terrorist organization membership," ICE said.

[Photo: ICE Denver]

TUMBLEWEED FORCE HIGHWAY SHUT DOWN

Wind blasts, dust and waves of tumbleweed forced the closure of busy Highway 287 between Lamar in southeast Colorado and the Oklahoma state line on Tuesday. "Visibility is very poor, and the tumbleweed migration is in full swing," Lamar police said.

THOUSANDS OF ACRES ABLAZE IN ELBERT, LINCOLN, MORGAN AND WELD COUNTIES

UPDATE

Wildfires erupted Tuesday as winds blasted northeast Colorado, scorching thousands of acres of farmland in Elbert, Lincoln, Morgan and Weld counties.

Firefighting crews from across the region - as well as the Front Range - raced to the parched prairie to help battle the flames. No serious injuries were reported.

The Elbert County blaze was estimated at between 5,000 and 10,000 acres and forced evacuations. The Lincoln County blaze, pictured here, also forced evacuations.

The fire in Morgan County, near the town of Wiggins along I-76, crossed over from Weld County.

"Because of the selfless and immediate response of our local farmers and ranchers — bringing heavy equipment, tractors with disk and manpower — our fire crews were able to gain containment and protect homes, pasture ground, livestock, and critical infrastructure," the grateful Morgan County Sheriff's Office said.
Meantime, in Yuma County, scene of a giant prairie fire several weeks ago, the sheriff's office reported "another arson fire" between County Road X and Y on County Road 28.
[Photo: Lincoln County sheriff] 

MOVE TO LEGALIZE ESCORT WORK IN COLORADO

A state senate bill proposes dropping criminal penalties for privately selling or paying for sex between adults in Colorado.

Pimping would remain illegal.

Escort Ella West told The Denver Post: “I didn’t realize we were doing that well in terms of the perception of sex work. I will say the bill itself looks pretty damn good in its current form.”

Senator Nick Hinrichsen, a Democrat from Pueblo and one of the four sponsors, said: "I don’t believe the government should be involved in the bedroom of consenting adults.”

CROSSING CHICKEN CAPTURED

This chicken crossed the road in Grand Junction. It didn't say why. "Case closed," police said on social media.

[Photo: Grand Junction police]    

COPS ASK: 'IS YOUR GOAT MISSING?'

Good Samaritans collared a goat in Bessemer, the Pueblo Police Department said, adding: "If this is your goat; please contact Pueblo Animal Control." A resident posted on Facebook: "That goat's always roaming around."

[Photo: Pueblo Police Department]

ARREST ALAMOSA MAN IN SHOOTING SPREE ALONG COLORADO, KANSAS LINE

Matthew Griffith, of Alamosa, was arrested after a wild Valentine's Day shooting spree along the Colorado-Kansas state line and jailed on an attempted homicide charge, the Prowers County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday. 

No serious injuries were reported though a number of people reported being fired upon in both states. Griffith also faces gun charges.

The bullets started flying in western Kansas and ended in Holly, Colorado. There were conflicting of where the first shots were fired - either Coolidge, Kansas, or Garden City, Kansas.

The Powers County Sheriff's Office said a "deputy rammed the suspect vehicle, in an attempt to get the vehicle stopped, due to the nature of the charges and to prevent the suspect vehicle from getting back into the city limits of Holly.

"Deputies eventually got the vehicle to stop inside the town limits of Holly and the suspect was arrested."

[Photo: Wikipedia]

I-25 DISASTER: AT LEAST 30 VEHICLES CRASH IN DUST STORM, 4 PEOPLE DIE, MANY HURT; LIVESTOCK SCATTERED

UPDATE

At least 30 cars and trucks - including big rigs - piled up in a dust storm on I-25 in Pueblo on Tuesday, killing four people and injuring many others, the Colorado State Patrol said.

The wreck spilled into both lanes of the busy interstate just south of Pueblo Boulevard at about 10:02 a.m. in near zero visibility and violent winds.

The patrol said: "There is a preliminary estimate of at least 30 vehicles involved, including semis and passenger vehicles. Initial reports from troopers at the scene include four confirmed fatalities.

The patrol also said: "There were heavy winds in the area at the time of the crash, blowing dirt, causing 'brown out' conditions. There was low to no visibility for motorists."

One of the vehicles "was a pickup hauling a gooseneck trailer containing goats. Four of the goats did not survive. Twenty-eight of the goats survived and have been safely removed from the scene," the patrol said.

Authorities put the number of human injuries at 29 and said 10 people escaped injury.

News 5 said UCHealth Parkview treated at least 12 patients and St. Mary Corwin Hospital treated at least 7 patients.

The American Red Cross opened a reception center at Pueblo South High School.

Pueblo Mayor Heather Graham said: "My heart goes out to all affected by this traffic accident today in Pueblo. Thank you to the over 20 agencies who responded to today’s deadly accident on I-25 at mile marker 92." The Pueblo Fire Department said: "We send our heartfelt condolences to the families and individuals affected."
[Photo: Colorado State Patrol, CDOT]

DENVER'S BRAVEST TALK SHOP WITH OUR FUTURE FIREFIGHTERS

Denver firefighters are visiting schools across the city to discuss their trade - and the kids love it.

Fire prevention and life safety are important topics and the visits provide future first responders a chance to ask questions, climb aboard fire engines and examine emergency gear.

Fire officials said: "These moments build trust, spark curiosity, and maybe even inspire the next generation of firefighters." "Thank you to the schools and families who welcomed us in. We’re proud to serve you — both on and off the rig." [Photos: Denver Fire Department]

CHOPPER CALLED FOR DOWNED BIKER IN DOUGLAS COUNTY

A medical helicopter evacuated an injured motorcycle rider on Highway 105 in Douglas County on Monday, the Larkspur Fire Protection District said. [Photos: Larkspur Fire Protection District]

WIND AND FIRE WARNINGS FROM I-25 CORRDOR TO KANSAS

The National Weather Service is warning of high winds up to 65 mph Tuesday from the I-25 corridor to Kansas as well as severe wildfire risk. In the Rockies, winds could top 65 mph. Fire departments are on alert.

FIRE CHIEF GETTING BOOT IN LOVELAND

The chief of the Loveland Fire Rescue Authority is getting the boot and says he has no idea why.

The governing board suspended Chief Tim Sendelbach last month and has been mum why it's in the process of pushing him out.

The Loveland firefighters union offered its "strong support" for Sendelbach.

The chief told the Loveland Reporter-Herald: “Obviously, I am pretty perplexed that we’ve gone this far and I still don’t know — I mean we’re three weeks in and still haven’t gotten the first inkling of what the cause is."

"… But this is their decision, so I’ll go with the process and see how things end up.”

ALERT! HUGE FIRE RISK TUESDAY

The National Weather Service in Boulder is forecasting extreme fire danger Tuesday with wind gusts up 60 mph for the Front Range and northeast Colorado. Fire departments across the region on are high alert. [Images: Southeast Weld Fire, National Weather Service]

ARREST IN MURDER IN LA JUNTA

Anthony Barron Sandoval Jr., 18, has been arrested as a suspect in a murder in La Junta, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation said Monday.

The victim - a boy, aged 17 - was shot early Saturday at a home on Belleview Avenue. The suspect has been charged with second-degree murder.

Bail was set at $500,000.

TRASH TRUCK TRASHED IN COMMERCE CITY

A twisted trash truck blocked Highway 85 at 56th Avenue in Commerce City on Monday. The driver suffered minor injuries, police said. No other vehicles were involved.

[Photo: Commerce City police]

PERSON KILLED BY RTD 'A' LINE TRAIN IN DENVER

A pedestrian was killed by an RTD train Monday on the A Line between Union Station and the airport, Denver police said.

The accident occurred near Smith Road and Dahlia Street in the Park Hill district. Shuttle buses were pressed into service, RTD said.

No other information was released.

COLD CASE: SHOTGUN WILLIE'S DANCER VANISHED FROM DIA IN 2003

 

Jennifer Lynn Marcum, 25, a dancer at Shotgun Willie's adult club in Glendale, disappeared almost a quarter century from Denver International Airport.

Marcum was last seen Feb. 17, 2003. Her auto was parked at the airport.

She is presumed dead. Murdered by a serial killer.

Marcum's boyfriend, Steven Ennis, was a prison inmate and she was listed as a potential witness in a drug case against him.

Scott Kimball, of Boulder, a former cellmate of Ellis who committed at least three other murders said he killed Marcum, too - but he has never disclosed the whereabouts of her body.

Today, Kimball is locked up in federal prison - and the FBI is still hunting for Marcum and re-issued a "Missing Person" poster for the 23rd anniversary of her disappearance.

If you have information, call 1-800-CALL-FBI.

Scott Kimball

[Photos: FBI, U.S. Bureau of Prisons]

GET MEOW OUTTA HERE! - CAT WITH 9 LIVES CLIMBS 3 STORIES

In Colorado Springs, firefighters from Truck Company 8 a rescued a cat atop a three-story apartment building. The feline "quickly realized it’s easier going up," fire officials said. The cat is fine and perhaps a little wiser. [Photos: Colorado Springs Fire Department]

COPS SEARCH GIANT LANDFILL FOR MAN LAST SEEN CLIMBING INTO DUMPSTER

 

Searchers trudged through giant garbage piles for four days looking for grizzly signs of a man last seen climbing into a dumpster in Larimer County.

They didn't find Carl Smith, 57, of Loveland, who was reported missing Jan. 17, the Larimer County Sheriff's Office said. "Deputies determined his last known location and obtained security video from the area," the sheriff's office said. "Mr. Smith had entered a dumpster and did not exit. A short time later, a garbage truck arrived, emptied the dumpster contents, and deposited the load at the Larimer County landfill." "The extensive efforts included using hand tools, heavy equipment, cadaver dogs, and drones to search the section where the truck had deposited its contents," the sheriff's office said. "The search area included an estimated 10,000 cubic yards of solid waste." Foul play isn't suspected in the bizarre disappearance and Smith is still classified as a missing person. The county landfill is located in Fort Collins. If you have information, call the Larimer County Sheriff's Office (970) 498-5336. [Photos: Larimer County Sheriff's Office]

MAJOR BLAZE STRIKES CLEAR CREEK COUNTY

Flames destroyed a home Sunday in Silver Plume and spread to nearby brush, the Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office said. No injuries were reported in the blaze on Willis Street, just north of I-70. Traffic slowed on the interstate.

[Photos: Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office]

VALENTINE'S DAY MURDER IN DENVER

UPDATE

A person was shot dead on Valentine's Day in west Denver, police said.

Another person wounded in the leg and transported to hospital from the crime scene in the 1500-block of West Maple Avenue, police said. No other details were released. In another incident, a teenage girl was arrested as a suspect in double-stabbing Sunday in the 1500-block of North Grant Street in Denver and faces charges of second-degree assault, police said. Denver police also reported a stabbing Sunday in the vicinity on East Cedar Avenue and South Broadway Street. A suspect was arrested. The victim is expected to survive.

TODDLER KILLED IN HIT & RUN IN ERIE ON SUNDAY

A toddler was killed Sunday in a hit-and-run accident in Erie.

The tragedy occurred at 4:40 p.m. near Mountain View Blvd and Village Vista Drive, police said. The child was 2.

"Officers and emergency personnel responded immediately," police said. "Despite life-saving efforts, the child succumbed to their injuries.

"There are no words that can ease the pain of such a loss," police said. "We extend our deepest sympathy to the family and ask the community to surround them with compassion and respect."

If you have information, call Erie police {303) 441-4444. "Even the smallest detail may assist investigators in bringing answers to the family," police said.

There were two other serious crashes in Erie over the weekend.

Earlier Sunday, an auto crashed on Erie Parkway and burst into flames. One person died. Another was seriously injured. "Preliminary information indicates the vehicle was traveling eastbound on Erie Parkway at an extremely high rate of speed, prior to crossing the median into the westbound lanes and striking a bridge guardrail," police said. On Friday night, a youth, age 15, riding a scooter was struck by an auto and seriously injured at Erie Parkway and Briggs Street. Police said: "Not all electrically motorized vehicles are permitted on public roadways. Many of these vehicles can reach significant speeds and may not offer the same protections as passenger vehicles. We encourage families to take time to understand local ordinances and safety requirements before allowing juveniles to operate any motorized vehicle."

3 PEDESTRIANS HURT IN DENVER ACCIDENTS

Three pedestrians were struck and injured in Denver over the weekend.

On Valentine's Day, two were seriously injured by a hit-and-run auto at North Pearl Street and East Colfax Avenue, police said.

Another was seriously injured in the vicinity of East 6th Avenue Parkway and Holly Street. That driver remained on the scene of the accident, police said. No other details were provided.

MOB TOWN: PUEBLO COP BATTLED CORRUPTON

Sergeant John Koncilja Jr. was a tough Pueblo police detective who took on crooked cops and mobsters in the 1970s.

"He wasn't afraid," his son told the Pueblo Chieftain.

Pueblo's police scandal involved rigged promotional exams, a cop-led burglary and fencing ring, ticket fixing, procuring abortions before they were legal and assorted other crime.

A key player was tavern owner Joseph A. “Jo-Jo” Concialdi, who was tried and shipped off to prison. Concialdi operated the Branch Inn in Pueblo for almost 50 years.

Koncilja, who died at age 83 in May 2021, also served as an investigator for the Colorado Organized Crime Strike Force and 10th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

“Jo-Jo” Concialdi

[Photo: Montgomery & Steward, Find-A-Grave]

TRUE CRIME: HIS LIFE SPARED, COP KILLER JOINED LETHAL 211 CREW

A jury spared cop killer Vernon Wayne Templeman from Colorado's gas chamber but the thankless thug pressed on with his evil ways behind bars.

Templeman, an escaped murderer from Kentucky, robbed a bank in Boulder on Dec. 6, 1982, traveled south - and gunned down a Colorado Springs police officer, Mark Layne Dabling, 30, a few hours later with a sawed-off rifle. He was tried in 1983.

In a Colorado prison, Templeman joined the blood-thirsty 211 Crew, a white supremist gang founded in Denver and accused of conspiracy in the murder of state corrections chief Tom Clements in 2013. 
Templeman was transferred to a prison in West Virgina after Colorado authorities broke up the gang in the wake of the Clements slaying and he is still believed to be imprisoned there.
[Photos: Colorado Springs police, Colorado Department of Corrections]

NO PAJAMAS AT AIRPORTS

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is critical of airline passenger attire. In an interview, he said: “Whether it’s a pair of jeans and a decent shirt, I would encourage people to maybe dress a little bit better, which encourages us to maybe behave a little better. ... Let’s try not to wear slippers and pajamas.”

'SHOW ME THE MONEY,' HE TELLS SAFEWAY ATM IN WHEAT RIDGE

Do you know him? This suspect is wanted for identity theft. The money-hungry scavenger used a variety of cash cards at an ATM inside a Safeway supermarket in Wheat Ridge on Dec. 2 and Dec. 3, police said.

SECOND ARREST IN FATAL STREET RACE IN AURORA

Police arrested a second suspect in a deadly street racing crash in Aurora. 
Carlos Cruz-Figueroa, 18, was charged with vehicular homicide after police determined he initiated the race, police said Thursday.

The other vehicle, a BWV, crashed and rolled over killing a passenger. The driver of that car was arrested earlier. Another passenger was injured. The accident occurred at Alameda Avenue and Chambers Road last November. Police said: "Street racing is dangerous and it kills. We will not tolerate it. Our dedicated task force will continue working to hold racers accountable and keep our community safe. No matter the timeline."

FIREFIGHTERS BATTLE BLAZE IN TRASH HOUSE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY

Firefighters battled a blaze at an abandoned home packed with garbage Friday in Jefferson County, West Metro Fire said. The fire on Rooney Road near West Vassar Place was visible to drivers in the vicinity of C-470. Several called 911. No injuries were reported. [Photo: West Metro Fire]