Colorado Springs – A Fort Carson soldier arrested Friday in the assault of two soldiers – one of whom died – at a Colorado Springs apartment complex has been arrested again, this time by the Army.
Spec. Timothy Parker, 22, is in jail at Fort Carson after being released from the El Paso County Justice Center on $25,000 bail, said Lisa Kirkman, chief deputy district attorney.
The Army is talking to the district attorney about possibly prosecuting Parker, who police believe struck and killed his neighbor with a fireplace poker after a 4 a.m. argument about drunken noise.
Parker may have violated military code as well, Kirkman said.
Colorado Springs police Lt. Bill Lidh said police believe 21-year-old Spec. Piotr Szczypka and a group of friends were outside the Mountain View apartment complex after drinking. Szczypka had returned from a tour in Iraq in August.
Parker came out on his balcony and began yelling about the noise. The verbal confrontation escalated when Parker came outside with a blunt object, police said. Police found part of a fireplace poker at the scene.
Parker is alleged to have struck Szczypka with the object, knocking him out, and hit a second soldier, Omar Conte.
The two men were driven by friends to Evans Army Hospital, where Szczypka was pronounced dead and Conte was treated and released.
Police are recommending charges of second-degree murder in Szczypka’s death and first-degree assault in the attack on Conte.
The DA – or the Army – will decide formal charges by Nov. 22.
