Runner pleads guilty in intimidation case
A former CU cross-country runner entered a guilty plea through her attorney Thursday to a misdemeanor racial intimidation charge and was sentenced to work four days with a jail crew and 40 hours of community service. Jackie Zeigle also received an 18-month deferred sentence.
A police report said Zeigle and former CU football player Clint O’Neal, who are both white, sent a racially charged message to Greg Castro, a Hispanic cross-country runner.
O’Neal told the court in February he had nothing to do with the message. His trial is scheduled for May 16.
Fire destroys 4 units in apartment complex
A fire Thursday afternoon destroyed four apartments and damaged five others in the Cottonwood Apartments complex, 1030 Carr St., displacing as many as 30 people, authorities said.
One man was taken to a local hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries.
Investigators were still trying to determine the cause of the fire, but initially believe it was accidental, a spokeswoman said.
Fielder’s son slashed wrists, authorities say
The son of famed landscape photographer John Fielder killed himself by slashing his wrists, authorities said Thursday.
John Fielder III, known as J.T., sent farewell text messages to his sisters and skied to Butler Gulch, where he committed suicide Tuesday.
Searchers found him late Tuesday near timberline, where he died from blood loss, said Lt. Rick Albers of the Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Department.
Mayor joins race for 5th District seat
Mayor Lionel Rivera officially announced his candidacy Thursday for the 5th Congressional District seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Joel Hefley.
Rivera, 49, a former Army captain and the city’s first Hispanic mayor, said his priorities, if elected, would be the war on terrorism and homeland security.
He joins a crowded Republican primary field that includes John Anderson, a former El Paso County sheriff; Duncan Bremer, a former El Paso County commissioner; Jeff Crank, a former vice president of the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce and a former aide to Hefley; and state Sen. Doug Lamborn.
Pit bulls that attacked boy are put to death
City officials said Thursday that five pit bulls owned by Renee Muniz and her daughter have been put to death.
Three of the dogs attacked and disfigured Muniz’s 10-year- old son in November as he climbed over the back fence of the family’s home after school. The boy lost an arm and suffered severe wounds to his face and throat.
On Wednesday, Muniz pleaded guilty to one count of negligent child abuse and one count of cruelty to animals in exchange for a four-year deferred sentence and four years’ probation.
“We offered her the deferred sentence out of concern for her son, whom we didn’t want to put in the position of having to testify against his mother,” Deputy District Attorney Ben Leutwyler said Wednesday evening.
FEMA official to lead emergency office
Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper on Thursday announced the appointment of an official with the Federal Emergency Management Agency as the new director of Denver’s Office of Emergency Management.
Justin DeMello, who has been deployed to 22 federally declared disasters, will begin work for the city in mid-April.
DeMello is currently federal coordinating officer for FEMA, assigned to New Orleans operations. He joined FEMA in 2003.
