Military doubts claim about slain SEAL’s ID
A U.S. military spokesman Thursday cast doubt on a purported al-Qaeda video that shows the ID card of a Navy SEAL from Littleton who was killed in Afghanistan.
A picture of Danny Phillip Dietz, 25, is on what appears to be a Department of Defense ID held by a militant in a tape released on the al-Arabiya satellite news channel based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
“When U.S. military forces recovered his body, there was no evidence to suggest that his body had been searched or anything recovered from him,” said Cmdr. Jeff Bender, a spokesman for the U.S. Naval Special Warfare Command. “It would be inappropriate to speculate on the authenticity of the al-Qaeda video.”
Dietz, a petty officer 2nd class, was killed when his four-man team came under attack June 28 in the mountainous Kunar province region near Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan. Two other SEALs also were killed. The fourth SEAL was rescued. When another 16 troops were sent in to help the team, their Chinook helicopter was shot down and all aboard were killed.
Man wanted in assault arrested after chase
Three police units chased a man driving a stolen vehicle through residential neighborhoods and on main roads before chasing him on foot, wrestling him to the ground and arresting him Thursday evening.
One officer was injured. Witnesses said the suspect, Danual James Vantuinen of Westminster, was arrested with a bloody leg.
Vantuinen, 21, had an outstanding warrant for assaulting a Denver police officer with a weapon, said Thornton police spokesman Matt Barnes, who could not provide more detail on the assault.
Police received a phone call around 4 p.m. about a gas theft at the Shell station in the 4000 block of East 104th Street, Barnes said.
Thornton and Northglenn police chased the car through Northglenn but quit the pursuit when speeds reached up to 60 mph in residential neighborhoods.
Minutes later, Westminster police sighted Vantuinen at 112th Street and Federal Boulevard. They chased him in and out of Westminster neighborhoods.
Two cars were involved in minor accidents during the chase.
Police then tapped the back of the 1996 Saturn at the intersection of Colorado Boulevard and 120th Street, spinning the vehicle out of control.
Vantuinen jumped out of the car and attempted to hijack a sport utility vehicle leaving a shopping center. Police then wrestled him to the ground.
Agents arrest 2 men in alleged meth sale
Federal drug agents on Wednesday arrested two Mexican nationals in Denver who authorities said were trying to sell 6 pounds of methamphetamine for $54,000 in the parking lot of a Denver grocery store.
Juan Pedro Mendez and Samuel Sarmiento-Gonzalez allegedly had six plastic bags of “ice,” which resembles shards of glass when the drug is highly pure. Authorities believe the drug came from a so-called superlaboratory in Mexico.
Mendez, 31, lives in Denver, and Sarmiento-Gonzalez, 36, was living out of a van in Pueblo, according to a news release from the Drug Enforcement Administration. The men were charged with distribution and intent to distribute.
Mama bear put down after menacing people
The mother bear that caused Boulder officials to close some of the area’s hiking trails after she and her two cubs broke into a home and chased hikers was put down Thursday by the Department of Wildlife.
The sow, which weighed between 250 and 300 pounds, had a long history of being a nuisance, said Tyler Baskfield of the DOW.
Wednesday, the sow and her two cubs broke into the home of Melvyn Shapiro, who lives in the Chautauqua Ranger Cottage area. The sow charged Shapiro, knocking him down.
The bears were spotted later that day by hikers, who reported they were chased by the sow.
About noon Thursday, the DOW and members of Boulder’s Open Space and Mountain Parks Department found the family of bears in a tree about 400 yards from some hiking trails. The decision was made to euthanize the sow and to transport the 60-pound cubs to a licensed rehabilitator.
Baskfield said it is the DOW’s policy to put down an animal when the public’s safety is jeopardized. He said bears usually get two strikes before euthanasia is considered.
Since 2000, the tagged bear had more than 15 run-ins with the law. Baskfield said that each time, the bear was hazed with rubber bullets in attempts to keep her from returning.
But despite being relocated each time, the bear kept returning to the Boulder area.
Baskfield said the decision to put down an animal is a last consideration and that the department’s purpose is to protect wildlife as well as people.
Parks board delays action on booze rules
The Parks Advisory Board postponed action on a proposal to loosen restrictions on alcohol consumption in city parks.
Board members got their first look at the proposal Wednesday night at their meeting at the Southwest Recreation Center.
The board decided not to vote on the proposal until its September meeting. Members want to meet first with neighbors and constituents.
A group of neighbors circulated a letter at the meeting asking the board and Kim Bailey, director of parks and recreation, to limit the sale and consumption of alcohol beverages.
Bailey previously said she expected to issue a final policy by today and present it to a City Council committee Tuesday.
The board can recommend further changes, but the city is not required to adopt its recommendations.
