2 killed in 3-vehicle wreck on E-470 during rush hour
Two men died in a three-vehicle accident on E-470, southeast of Denver, during the afternoon rush hour Tuesday, closing the highway in both directions for hours, said Trooper Eric Wynn of the Colorado State Patrol.
A Toyota 4Runner and a Jeep were traveling west when they collided about 5:05 p.m. between Gartrell and Parker roads, sending the Toyota rolling across the median, ejecting its driver and then landing atop a Ford Explorer in the eastbound lanes, Wynn said.
The drivers of the Toyota and the Ford were pronounced dead at the scene, he said. The body of the Explorer driver was still trapped in his vehicle beneath the 4Runner three hours after the accident.
The driver of the Jeep wasn’t injured, Wynn said.
No names were released Tuesday.
GREENWOOD VILLAGE
Truck driver ticketed in plunge off I-25
The driver of the dump truck that plunged off an Interstate 25 overpass onto a car below on East Belleview Avenue last weekend was cited Tuesday for careless driving causing bodily injury and failure to comply with commercial-vehicle minimum-safety standards, Greenwood Village police reported.
The truck driven by Antonio Rodriguez Oronia, 55, was unable to slow with the traffic, crossed two lanes and the shoulder of the highway, hit a concrete barrier and fell 16 feet onto a Lexus driven by 78-year-old Sidney Levin.
Levin, a co-owner of the Buckhorn Exchange restaurant in Denver, remains in critical condition at Swedish Medical Center.
DENVER
Jail inmate escapes hours after sentencing
An inmate sentenced to six years in prison for second-degree burglary and having burglary tools escaped from the Denver County Jail on Monday night, officials say.
Robert Burzee, 35, fled after 7 p.m., within hours of receiving his sentence at Denver District Court, said Sgt. Darryle Brown, spokesman for the Denver Sheriff’s Office.
Because of investigative reasons, Brown said he could not say how Burzee escaped from Building 20 of the jail, which houses inmates in the jail’s work-release program. He added that Burzee did not just fail to return from work, but escaped.
Burzee uses the aliases John Currie and John Sharpe, he said. Brown said he did not know whether Burzee, who was wearing blue jail clothing, has armed himself.
Anyone who sees Burzee should not approach him but should call Crime Stoppers immediately at 720-913-STOP or 911, Brown said.
WELD COUNTY
Ex-banker pleads guilty to felony theft
A former Greeley banker, 41-year-old Frederick Allison, pleaded guilty to felony theft Friday in Weld County District Court in a deal that could get him a two-year prison sentence.
Allison pleaded guilty to theft between $500 and $15,000. While employed at New Frontier Bank in Greeley in early 2003, Allison obtained a private loan from a Greeley resident with property that he did not own as collateral, said Thea Mustari, spokeswoman for the district attorney.
Allison has been in custody at the Weld County Jail since June 24 after being arrested June 8 in California for the Weld County charges as well as others in Larimer County, Mustari said.
Allison will be sentenced Nov. 16.
WELD COUNTY
Driver admits guilt in crash deaths of two
A Weld County man pleaded guilty Tuesday in the drunken- driving deaths of two young people in February near Fort Lupton.
Tobias Sholes, 31, of Frederick caused a head-on crash Feb. 9 on Colorado 52 that killed Isai Flores, 24, also of Frederick, and his sister Zuri Flores, 20.
Sholes pleaded guilty in Weld County District Court to two felony counts of vehicular homicide. He faces up to 28 years in prison.
He will remain free on bond until his sentencing in February, district attorney officials said.
Authorities said Sholes was traveling at least 65 mph when his pickup smashed into the Floreses’ 2003 Saturn, ran up over the top of the car and rolled onto its top. The impact split the pickup in half.
Sholes had three previous drunken-driving convictions dating to 1992 and had lost his license, authorities said.
BOULDER
Woman, missing child may be in Wisconsin
Boulder authorities believe a woman wanted for a felony custody violation has fled the state with her 2-year-old daughter and may be in Wisconsin.
Angela Lightner, 37, who is also known as Angie Light, failed to appear for a custody hearing Nov. 2 and a warrant was issued for her arrest, according to a prepared statement from Boulder police.
Lightner and her daughter, Kryctil Gauman, are thought to have been in southeastern Wisconsin on Thursday, the statement said.
Police think she is traveling with Todd Alan Hillman, 34, and while they would like to talk to Hillman, he is not under investigation.
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Lightner, Gauman or Hillman is urged to contact their local law enforcement agency or the Boulder Crime Stoppers at 800-444- 3776.
ASPEN
Hopeful in DA’s recall tackles signature fixes
A former 9th Judicial District assistant district attorney and a candidate in an upcoming recall election said he hopes to deliver enough revised signatures to the Colorado secretary of state today to have his name on the ballot.
Martin Beeson last week came up 19 signatures short of the 1,000 needed to be named on a recall ballot targeting District Attorney Colleen Truden. Beeson has until the end of today to challenge signatures that were rejected by the secretary of state.
“I feel confident we will get at least 27 signatures restored,” Beeson said.
