A suspected car thief killed by a Denver police officer early Thursday was identified Friday as Jimmy G. Orozco, a 23-year-old Denver resident with a history of theft.
Another suspect, who ran from the scene and was later arrested, was identified as Devon Lee Kelly, 24, of Aurora.
Kelly told police that Orozco was stealing from cars but denied involvement and said that he was “just along for the ride,” according to court documents released Friday.
Kelly is being held for investigation of first-degree criminal trespass. His bail has been set at $15,000.
Police were called early Thursday to The Metro apartments, 699 W. 29th Ave., just west of Coors Field on a report of two men breaking into cars.
When officers arrived, they followed a police dispatcher’s instructions and were able to locate a vehicle with a broken window and pry marks on the driver’s side door, court records showed.
When officers attempted to arrest the two suspects, the car they were in attempted to run the officers over.
Officer Ricky Nixon fired at Orozco, who was the driver, hitting him in the chest. Orozco was dead at the scene.
The car carrying Orozco and Kelly then rammed a parked car and Kelly jumped out, according to the documents.
Kelly ran from the the third floor of the parking garage to the second floor where he was taken into custody without further incident, the report said.
“Defendant stated that his friend was stealing from cars, and he was just along for the ride,” the report about Kelly said.
Several witnesses to the incident said they heard tires squealing and then heard a loud crash. Numerous residents of The Metro said the garage doors into the attached parking structure have been broken, allowing car thieves to readily walk in.
Orozco was killed a little more than a month before he was scheduled to appear in court.
According to court records, he was arrested in February on charges of aggravated motor vehicle theft and possession of burglary tools and was expected to appear in Denver District Court on June 1. He also had a string of arrests for theft and trespassing charges dating back to 2001, court records show.
In May of 2005, his most recent conviction, Orozco pleaded guilty to theft by receiving, a class 4 felony. For that charge, he was ordered to serve 90 days in jail and two years in an intensive supervision program in addition to 50 hours of community service, court records show.
Kelly is scheduled to appear in court Thursday after he was arrested last year on a charge of second-degree assault resulting in serious bodily injury, according to court records. He has numerous arrests on charges of possession of drugs and attempted robbery, court records show.
Staff writer Manny Gonzales can be reached at 303-820-1537 or mgonzales@denverpost.com.
