PUEBLO
New suit filed against
diocese citing abuse
Another lawsuit against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pueblo was announced Wednesday accusing a former Catholic high school teacher of sexually assaulting a student in the 1960s.
The suit by Tom Monroe, 52, of Pueblo listed allegations against William Mueller, a former band director at the now-closed Roncalli High School. Mueller was not named as a defendant, said Jeffrey Herman, the plaintiff’s attorney.
The suit said Mueller told Monroe, then a sophomore, during private tutoring sessions in the school band room that Monroe would play trombone better in the nude. The suit alleges Mueller masturbated and fondled Monroe on about five occasions.
Monroe complained to guidance counselor Jose Montoya in 1968, but Mueller was not disciplined, Herman said. Mueller left Roncalli in 1971. Herman said he was told Montoya is deceased.
There was no answer at a San Antonio number listed for Mueller.
The lawsuit, like the ones filed in Denver on Tuesday, seeks at least $10 million in damages.
Three men have now announced lawsuits in Pueblo with allegations against Mueller.
DENVER
Suspect in May killing
faces murder charges
Jose Alvarado-Juarez was charged Wednesday in connection with a May 8 altercation that left one man dead and another injured.
Alvarado-Juarez, 23, was charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and first-degree assault.
Authorities say Alvarado-Juarez shot and killed 21-year-old Luis Romero and injured 26- year-old Christopher Ramos after a confrontation in the 3700 block of Lipan Street.
Luis Romero Sr., Romero’s father, said he believed his son was trying to break up a fight in the parking lot of the Subway Pizza Tavern, 3795 Lipan St., when he was shot.
Alvarado-Juarez will appear in court Friday to be advised of the charges.
AURORA
Pit bulls that attacked
will be executed
Four pit bulls involved in two attacks in Aurora this month will be executed, a municipal court judge ruled Wednesday.
The dogs’ owner, Antoinette Rivers, failed to appear on the court date, and a bench warrant was issued for her arrest. She has been cited for 15 misdemeanors, including keeping dangerous dogs and failure to license or inoculate the dogs. Each count carries a maximum fine of $1,000 and a year in jail.
The dogs attacked Jose Simental, 36, on Sept. 11 at a duplex at 1922 Dallas St. in northeast Aurora. He was hospitalized for two days. On Sept. 12, one of the dogs bit landlord Brady Meeks, 29, as he tried to collect rent.
DENVER
State FEMA team
leaves for Texas
As 600 members of the Colorado National Guard returned home this week from their humanitarian mission in Louisiana, a Colorado search-and-rescue team left Golden on Wednesday for Fort Worth, Texas, to prepare for Hurricane Rita.
Michelle French, public information officer for Texas-bound FEMA Task Force 1, said rescue teams must constantly be ready for deployment.
“The task force received its activation orders from the federal government Tuesday evening, and the team was en route to Texas by 9 a.m. Wednesday,” she said. “This is the second time in a month they’ve been deployed to the Gulf Coast to assist with hurricane efforts.”
A spokesman for the Colorado National Guard said he was uncertain whether the newly returned Guard unit also will be deployed for Hurricane Rita.
