Driver in fatal racing crash got ticket half-hour earlier
The driver of one of the cars involved in a street-racing accident in Aurora last week that killed a teenage girl had been cited for an “improper and careless” lane change in front of an elementary school just 30 minutes earlier, said police Sgt. Tony Genaro.
Mauro Najera, 18, was ticketed in front of Summit Elementary School, 18100 E. Quincy Ave., when a patrol officer witnessed him make “two lane changes to go around traffic, and he did it in a careless manner,” Genaro said.
Guadalupe Sanchez, 15, a passenger in the car Najera was driving, was killed in the Friday accident. Najera and Diana Garcia, 15, another passenger in his car, were hospitalized.
Najera was arrested when he was released from the hospital Sunday evening, and the driver of the other car, Jose Garcia-Felix, 18, was arrested after the crash. Both drivers are from Denver.
Authorities described the incident as a high-speed race.
Neither youth has a valid U.S. driver’s license, according to court documents, 9News reported Tuesday.
DENVER
Study: Student scores fell after busing ended
Ten years after Denver Public Schools no longer had to comply with court-ordered busing, student achievement has fallen in northeast Denver neighborhood schools, a study released by the Piton Foundation found Tuesday.
In 1995, black fifth-graders at Mitchell Elementary, which was socioeconomically integrated and had a Montessori program, scored in the 41st percentile on national reading tests. But the year after the Montessori program was moved to another school, and the school was “resegregated” to be high-poverty, African-Americans scored in the 27th percentile, the study found.
Study author Alan Gottlieb concluded that there is no single answer to boosting student achievement in high-poverty areas, but socioeconomic integration helps. This could be accomplished through magnet schools in poor neighborhoods with no admissions criteria, he said.
WESTMINSTER
Mom’s boyfriend sought in baby’s death
An arrest warrant has been issued for the boyfriend of the mother of a 7-month-old girl who died at Children’s Hospital, said Westminster police spokeswoman Stephanie Topkoff.
Police are looking for Anthony Dean Stockdale, 35, in connection with the death, Topkoff said. Stockdale was last known to be driving a maroon-colored 1991 Buick four-door sedan with Wyoming license plates 10-5184, she said.
The baby was taken to Children’s on Wednesday evening with head injuries. She died Friday afternoon. Anyone with information is urged to contact Westminster police at 303-430-2400, extension 4360.
CHEYENNE
Dog flu at shelter forces euthanasia plan
All 70 to 80 dogs at the Cheyenne Animal Shelter will be euthanized because of an outbreak of canine influenza that has closed the shelter for more than two weeks, shelter officials announced.
Four dogs at the shelter have died and the virus was confirmed Friday in four of five samples submitted for testing, the officials said Monday.
Shelter director Alan Cohen said that unless all the dogs were killed, he couldn’t guarantee that they wouldn’t re-infect themselves and other animals.
COLORADO SPRINGS
Teacher sentenced in child sex assault
A former Pine Creek High School chemistry teacher has been sentenced to three years to life for sexually assaulting a child.
Derrick Adam Davies pleaded guilty on Nov. 22 to sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust.
The victim, a 15-year-old girl, told police that she had gone to Davies to discuss her grades. On at least two occasions, Davies allegedly locked the classroom door, turned off the lights and sexually assaulted her.
COLORADO
Fire restrictions imposed on forests
Fire restrictions are in place for the Pike and San Isabel national forests, Comanche National Grassland and lands east of the Continental Divide, excluding the San Luis Valley, that are managed by the Bureau of Land Management.
“Fire conditions this spring are comparable to those at this time of year in 2002, which was a very active fire season,” said Roy Masinton, field manager for the BLM’s Royal Gorge field office.
The following is prohibited, except in Lake County, until further notice:
Building, maintaining or attending a fire, campfire, any type of charcoal-fueled broiler or an open fire of any type in undeveloped areas.
Fireworks, including spark lers, are prohibited on BLM public lands and U.S. Forest Service lands.
Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, in a developed recreation site or while stopped in an area at least 3 feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material.
Fires in permanent fire pits or grates or in mechanical stoves fueled by bottled or liquid gas are permitted.
DENVER
Grand jury indicts reputed bomber
A man who allegedly threatened a “farewell tour” and planted homemade bombs in Grand Junction to avenge his firing and a bad business deal was indicted Monday by a federal grand jury in Denver.
Robert Burke, 54, of Grand Junction is charged with five counts of possession of an unregistered destructive device, one count of property damage by use of explosives and one count of possession of a dangerous weapon in furtherance of a crime of violence.
DENVER
Volunteers sought for safe-cruising brigade
Volunteers needed. Willing to stand on Federal Boulevard street corners Friday and Saturday.
No pay, no dress code, just food, water and a sense of helping the community.
In anticipation of Cinco de Mayo weekend cruising along the boulevard, Escuela Tlatelolco is organizing its annual “United Families for Safe Cruising” volunteer army.
The group began in 1997 after police and cruisers squared off, said Nita Gonzales, executive director of the school.
“Our volunteers encourage cruisers to be respectful and to keep moving,” Gonzales said. “They also ensure there is no conflict between cruisers and the police.”
To volunteer, call 303-964-8993.
