12th sex-abuse lawsuit filed against Denver archdiocese
A former student at a Roman Catholic school in Sterling filed a lawsuit Tuesday accusing the Denver archdiocese of turning a blind eye to child sexual abuse that took place decades ago, the 12th such lawsuit against the archdiocese in recent months.
The plaintiff, identified only as John Doe No. 2, alleges that former priest Harold Robert White sexually abused him in 1968 in a darkened storage room at St. Anthony’s Catholic School while he helped White set up tables and chairs for a church event.
The lawsuit filed in Denver District Court alleges that the archdiocese continued to give White unfettered access to altar boys and other children despite being alerted to allegations against him as early as the 1960s.
An archdiocesan spokeswoman said the archdiocese takes seriously any sex abuse allegation and responds “with care for all those involved.”
Filed by attorney Jeffrey Herman of Miami, the lawsuit is the 11th to name White since The Denver Post in late July reported a single allegation against him. White, 72, has been out of active ministry since 1993 and was stripped of the priesthood by the Vatican last year for undisclosed reasons.
The other active lawsuit accuses the Rev. Leonard Abercrombie, who died in 1994. The archdiocese is seeking to move all the lawsuits from state to federal court.
CASTLE ROCK
Girl, 10, escapes abduction attempt
A 10-year-old girl managed to bolt from the car of a would-be abductor and run for freedom late Tuesday afternoon, Castle Rock police reported.
“She’s OK,” said town spokeswoman Carrie McCausland.
Police are looking for a white man with shoulder-length dark brown or black hair. He was driving a yellow four-door car with a vinyl roof, most of which was missing, exposing bare metal. There also may be a dent in the rear passenger side door.
According to police accounts, the suspect, who was wearing a black ski hat and mask, asked the girl about 4:20 p.m. to help him find his lost puppy. When the girl said she couldn’t, the man got out of the car, grabbed her by her shirt and pushed her into the back seat of the vehicle.
When the suspect returned to the driver’s seat, the girl managed to get out of the car and run, McCausland said.
The suspect sped away.
LAMAR
F-16 that crashed had faulty fuel system
An F-16 jet that crashed at the Lamar airport June 28 while the pilot was attempting an emergency landing had in improperly installed fuel system component that caused a fuel leak and engine fire in flight, according to a military Accident Investigation Board report. The fire, in turn, damaged an engine nozzle, the plane’s speed brakes and aircraft flight controls, the report said.
The $19 million plane was assigned to the Colorado Air National Guard’s 140th Wing at Buckley Air Force Base. The pilot ejected as the plane began to drift uncontrollably to the right off the runway as he attempted the landing, the Air Force said.
COLORADO SPRINGS
Pilot’s body found in wreckage of plane
The body of a pilot was found Tuesday in the wreckage of a plane, one day after he was reported overdue.
Michael Timmerman, 54, had been flying a stunt plane, El Paso County sheriff’s Lt. Clif Northam said. Timmerman lived northeast of Black Forest.
A rancher found the wreckage about 7:30 a.m. near Calhan, about 25 miles east of Colorado Springs.
Northam said the plane took off about 8 a.m. Monday from Meadow Lake Airport and was scheduled to land about two hours later at the Calhan airport.
DENVER
Man shot, killed in parking lot of bar
Denver police are searching for suspects after a man was shot and killed early Tuesday in the parking lot of a Denver bar.
Police say the victim drove to the Ready Room near East 12th Avenue and Syracuse Street at 1:45 a.m. and confronted another individual in the parking lot. A confrontation ensued, and the man was shot in the chest and the torso, police said.
They have not identified the victim, who was taken to Denver Health Medical Center, where he died a short time later.
SILVERTHORNE
Input sought on ski basin’s expansion
The U.S. Forest Service has opened the public-comment period on a proposal to nearly double the Arapahoe Basin Resort with an expansion into Montezuma Bowl.
The proposal, including a new chairlift, would provide intermediate bowl skiing on the south side of Lenawee Mountain and increase the ski area from 487 to 812 acres.
Comments will be accepted until Jan. 6 and should be addressed to Forest Supervisor Maribeth Gustafson, in care of Peech Keller, Project Leader, Dillon Ranger District, P.O. Box 620, Dillon, CO 80498; by fax at 970-468-7735; or by e-mail at comments-rocky-mountain- white-river-eastzone@fs.fed.us.
COMMERCE CITY
Man shot in head at card-playing party
Commerce City police are investigating the shooting of a 20-year-old man during a card party at a house in the 7000 block of Leyden Street, said Detective Mike Saunders.
The victim’s name wasn’t released pending notification of family members.
Police were contacted about 2:30 a.m. Tuesday by emergency-room personnel at Exempla St. Joseph Medical Center, who were treating a man who had been shot in the head, Saunders said.
The victim’s friends took him to the hospital. He has since been moved to Denver Health Medical Center, where police said he is in grave condition.
DENVER
Interfaith service slated for holiday
In keeping with a tradition more than 100 years old, an interfaith Thanksgiving service will be held Thursday at University Park United Methodist Church in Denver.
The 10 a.m. service will include a morning blessing by Rabbi Steve Booth-Nadav of B’nai Havurah, a Muslim reading by Imam Ibrahim Kazerooni and a homily titled “An Interfaith Passion” by the Rev. Paul Kottke of the host church, which is at 2180 S. University Blvd.
WELD COUNTY
Man convicted in death of 18-month-old
Weld County jurors deliberated for three hours Tuesday before returning a guilty verdict against 29-year-old Thomas Michael Stewart in the death of 18-month-old Genevieve Curtis.
He will be sentenced Dec. 22 in Weld County District Court.
Stewart was babysitting Genevieve, the daughter of his girlfriend, on March 2, 2004, when she sustained injuries. She died five days later.
