FRIDAY, MARCH 30
A deputy traveling west on Hwy. 160 observed a car traveling in the same direction following another vehicle too closely, and then failed to use its turn indicator after passing the vehicle. The deputy pulled over the car to speak with two male inhabitants. While speaking to the driver, the deputy noticed the strong smell of fresh marijuana. The driver admitted that there was a baggie of marijuana on the back seat, and the passenger admitted to having a baggie in the front pocket of his shorts. The driver appeared to be under the influence of drugs. The deputy also located a glass pipe with burnt residue and a device used for grinding pot, and another baggie of marijuana. The two occupants of the vehicle were both charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. The driver received an additional charge of DUI drugs.
SUNDAY, APRIL 1
A deputy was dispatched to a possible intoxicated female parked in the roadway along Hwy. 491. The deputy observed a sedan parked in the northbound traffic lane with both tires on the passenger side completely shredded. There were metal scratch marks on the pavement, and it appeared that the sedan had been traveling on bare rims and had possibly been involved in an accident. Another deputy found the location where the sedan had struck the curb on the shoulder of the roadway on North Broadway prior to heading north. The female stumbled as she exited the sedan and was very unsteady on her feet, and she exhibited other symptoms of intoxication. She stated that she had drank two beers and nothing else. The deputy found a prescription bottle for an antidepressant sitting in the center console, and the woman said that she had last had one of the pills two days ago. The female repeatedly expressed that she needed to go home, but when asked where home was, she seemed confused and stated three different locations. She insisted that she be allowed to take her car home to her children, but was unable to understand that the car had no tires and was completely unable to be driven. She failed voluntary roadside maneuvers, and said that she had only had the two beers and her medication, contradicting her statement that she had last taken it two days prior. While waiting for lab technicians at the hospital, she refused to allow a blood draw and uttered in Spanish an obscenity about blondes. She was turned over to jail staff for processing and charged with DUI alcohol, DUI drugs, and illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor.
MONDAY, APRIL 2
A deputy responded to a gas station in Dolores in reference to a theft. The employee there said that a young male wearing a black baseball hat, a black shirt with the sleeves cut off, and dark pants entered the store and walked over to the beer cooler. He removed a 12-pack of beer and came towards the register, and when he got close, he ran out the door and went north into the alley next to the store. The employee had seen the suspect in the gas station before. The suspect did not have anything covering his face. He was not located in the area. A copy of the surveillance video with the suspect was provided to authorities.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4
A deputy contacted a vehicle for a cracked windshield in the parking lot of a convenience store along Hwy. 160. The male drivers license came back as suspended in New Mexico, and revoked in Colorado. The plates on the vehicle were registered to a different car than the one they were on. The male smelled strongly of alcohol and exhibited signs of intoxication, and claimed that he could not perform roadside maneuvers due to having a bad leg. When asked how much he had to drink, he said I drank five big 40s late last night and early this morning because it was my breakfast. The male was taken into custody, and the plates from his vehicle were removed and taken to be placed into evidence. He refused to give a blood or breath sample and was charged with DUI alcohol, driving with a revoked license, express consent refusal, and driving with fictitious plates. The vehicle was towed and the suspect was turned over to jail staff for processing.
A deputy was requested by dispatch to contact a person regarding check fraud. The injured party told the deputy that he had sold $2,400 worth of hay to a business. The business owner wrote a check for the amount, postdating it by two days. After being deposited, the bank returned the check for insufficient funds, and the business owner that had written the check promised that he would correct the problem and put enough money into his account. The check was again returned by the bank for insufficient funds. The business owners bank put a collection on the account so that they could issue a cashiers check to the bank of the person who had sold him the hay. The collection effort on the business owners bank account expired with no result, and that is when the authorities were brought into the matter. The deputy contacted the check writers business partner in Arizona, who advised that he was taking care of the companys feed store in that state, and was assured that he would get in contact with him. The fraudulent check writer contacted the deputy and was advised that he had until April 6 to provide the man who had sold him the hay with the full $2,400 in either cash or a money order or that an arrest warrant would be issued for Fraud by Check, a class 6 Felony. The business owner promised he would get the money to the hay seller in the allotted time. The deputy has followed up with the business owners bank as well as documenting proof that he never had enough money in his account to pay for the $2,400 check he wrote. The hay seller will drop the charges against the business owner if he follows through with his promise to come up with the money in the allotted time. If he fails to pay, a warrant will be issued for his arrest.