A man and a woman were arrested Saturday near Tractor Supply Co. after a brief foot chase after they reportedly used a stolen credit card to purchase tires for a stolen vehicle at Discount Tire in Durango.
Lon Peterson, 38, and Ramona Brassard, 45, have been living in La Plata and Archuleta counties and are suspected in several home break-ins and vehicle thefts in the two counties, said La Plata County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Wes Doughty.
Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office alerted La Plata County Sheriff’s Office that a homeowner had received a call Saturday afternoon from his bank alerting him that someone was attempting to use his stolen credit card at Discount Tires in Durango.
The man was trying to buy tires for a vehicle reportedly stolen out Bayfield, Doughty said.
Deputies and police officers encountered Peterson with Brassard on foot near Tractor Supply Co. The two fled from law officers and after a brief chase, during which Peterson was tased, the two were arrested around 4:30 p.m.
Durango Police Department Sgt. Will Sweetwood said Peterson was arrested on suspicion of identity theft, possession of a stolen vehicle and on three active warrants.
Brassard had a gun in her backpack, and she was arrested as a felon in possession of a deadly weapon. She also had an active arrest warrant, Sweetwood said.
Further charges are pending against both Peterson and Brassard involving suspicion in several home break-ins and vehicle thefts in Archuleta and La Plata counties, Doughty said.
Law enforcement had been searching for Peterson for several weeks after the Colorado Department of Corrections accidentally released him early, Doughty said. Doughty said Peterson had been notified of the mistake, but he had failed to turn himself in.
parmijo@durangoherald.com