WEDNESDAY, JAN. 4
Officers responded to a scene of a collision where a man had run into a fence. They arrived to find a car on a sidewalk and partially against a fence, which had been damaged, and the engine was still running. A male in the drivers seat was slumped over, and appeared to be asleep. When the male finally sat up, he appeared to be under the influence of something and was confused. The officer did not detect the odor of alcohol or other drugs, but he did find a prescription pill bottle in someone elses name that had one pill in it; the date on the bottle showed that the pills had been picked up the day before, and the prescription was for 30 Hydrocodone pills. The driver told officers that he believed that he had had a seizure while driving. The man claimed that the pill bottle belonged to a friend of his who had left it in his car a couple of days ago, but he did not have a phone number for the friend. The officer was able to contact the prescription holder, a juvenile, who told him that he had absolutely no idea why his friend would have his prescription bottle. He then quickly changed his story to say that he had given the bottle to the cars driver to hang onto for him. He said that he didnt know it was illegal, and that there was only one pill in the bottle when he gave it to the driver. Another officer, who had been with the driver, informed the investigating officer that when he left to question the prescription holder, the driver had asked to make a phone call to the friend whose name was on the pill bottle. The officer asked him how he was going to call the friend if he didnt have his phone number. The driver was arrested for possession of a Schedule II narcotic. This case will be supplemented after the interview with the juvenile named on the Hydrocodone prescription bottle and his mother.
SUNDAY, JAN. 8
An officer responded to Handymart for a report of shoplifting. An employee gave the officer a description and license plate number for the car the suspect had left in, bearing Utah plates. The cars driver had bought some beer and the passenger, who was highly intoxicated had stolen some leather work gloves. The car was located at a local mobile home park, and the door was answered by the suspect the officer had seen when reviewing surveillance video at the store. The officer told him this, and that he wanted to get the gloves back so he could return them to the store. The suspect picked up the gloves from a nearby table and handed them to the officer, saying maybe the officer could hook him up since he was giving them back. The store wished to pursue charges in the matter, and the officer informed the suspect that he would be issuing him a citation for shoplifting. The suspect again told the officer that he should hook him up since he gave the gloves back.
An officer on patrol observed an SUV traveling east after dark on Main St. with parking lights, but no headlights on, and no working tail lights. The officer made a U-turn and as he came up behind the vehicle, he saw the brake lights come on and the vehicle slowed and turned into the parking lot of a liquor store. The officer contacted the driver as she stepped out of the vehicle, and when he told her that she had been driving without headlights and that her tail lights did not work, she said yes they do. The officer requested that she turn on her parking lights only so he could show her. She turned on her headlights, pointed at them and said see, they work and the officer re-stated to her that he was talking about her tail lights, and she stated oh, well I dont know about those. The officer observed that the woman exhibited signs of intoxication, and told her that he could smell the strong scent of alcohol coming from her breath, to which she replied yah, but its not that bad. She failed roadside maneuvers and was placed under arrest for further investigation of DUI. She was left in the custody of jail staff.
MONDAY, JAN. 9
An officer contacted an employee at the Big R store in reference to a shoplifter. He had observed the suspect in the store trying on a pair of boots, and offered assistance, which was declined. The employee left to assist another customer for approximately a minute, and when he returned to the area, the suspect was gone and a used pair of boots he had been wearing were left on the shelf. The store was able to identify the suspect because he had first returned a pair of gloves at the register and had put his information on the return slip. The employee saw the suspect walking across the parking lot with the new boots on, and confronted him. The suspect said that he had been wearing the boots all over town but the employee could see that the soles were clean and still bore the size markings on the bottom. The suspect took them off and put on the used pair of boots he had left, and left the store. The employee advised that they wanted to pursue charges for shoplifting. An officer spoke with the suspect at the contact phone number he had left on the return slip. The suspect said he had bought the new boots at a Big R store in Grand Junction, but could not say which store. When asked about the used boots he left behind, the suspect stated that he did not want to argue and just took the used boots that were in the store that just happened to be his size. He said that he was working in Grand Junction, and would not be in Cortez for awhile. He was advised that a summons would be waiting for him at the police department and that a warrant would be issued for his arrest if he did not come in soon and sign the summons.
TUESDAY, JAN. 10
An officer was dispatched to Walmart in reference to a shoplifter. Dispatch advised that the suspect had run from Walmart and was hiding behind the AT&T store. An officer located and handcuffed the suspect, and removed from the rear belt line of his pants an air soft colt pistol, and removed from his pockets a Lego watch, two Lego minis, a Monster energy drink, an Axe styling product, and a Mario toy bike and Grave Digger toy truck. The items were valued at $60.41. A store employee advised that the suspect had been giving a fellow employee a very hard time, and had some croutons in his hand and said he was looking for Bacos. The employee observed Legos falling out of his pocket, and told the suspect to hand over everything he was taking from the store. The suspect gave back one colt air soft pistol, six packs of Lego minis, and some Listerine mouthwash which was half full. The suspect then became angry and ran from the store, at which point he was apprehended.