ASPEN – A candidate for sheriff who made a sexually suggestive film of himself has been “an excellent long-term employee” of the Police Department, the police chief said.
Rick Magnuson, a civilian community safety officer who is challenging Pitkin County Sheriff Bob Braudis in the Nov. 7 election, made a 12-minute video showing him from behind as he appears to masturbate outdoors.
Magnuson defended the clip as performance art.
Police Chief Loren Ryerson told the Aspen Daily News that Magnuson’s film “has never affected his performance or his duties.”
MORE BRIEFS
GRAND JUNCTION
Teen faces libel, computer charges
A teenager facing felony charges for allegedly sending suggestive and threatening messages to students on MySpace.com while posing as a Fruita Monument High School teacher made his first court appearance Monday.
Todd Gugat, 17, of Dallas faces felony charges of criminal libel and criminal impersonation and a misdemeanor computer crime charge.
Teacher Bill Johnson was placed on administrative leave during the summer and reinstated last month after a police investigation cleared him.
Gugat moved from Mesa County to Texas.
Messages sent to other students contained photographs from Johnson’s legitimate MySpace.com profile with rewritten captions.
BAILEY
Slaying brings extra patrols for schools
Three weeks after a gunman invaded a high school and killed a 16-year-old girl, school district officials said Tuesday they will spend an extra $100,000 for stepped-up patrols by sheriff’s deputies for the rest of the academic year.
The Platte Canyon school board will also pursue grants for security guards, surveillance cameras and other technology and for long-term mental health needs in the aftermath of a standoff that left student Emily Keyes and gunman Duane Morrison dead.
The money will come from contingency funds.
COLORADO SPRINGS
Argument escalates to fatal gunshot
An autopsy Tuesday showed a 26-year-old Colorado Springs man died of a gunshot wound to the head, according to Colorado Springs police.
Thomas Hallman was shot Saturday in his apartment on the city’s northeast side.
Police said Hallman and a suspect were engaged in an argument, the argument escalated and the suspect shot Hallman.
DENVER
Authorities seek ID of amnesia victim
Denver authorities are asking for the public’s help in identifying a man who has amnesia after suffering head injuries and being transported on Sept. 10 to Denver Health Medical Center.
He cannot remember who he is or where he came from, police said.
He was well-dressed, wearing a baseball cap, dark cargo shorts, a Bulova watch with a black rectangular face, a gold ring with a black stone in it and K-Swiss tennis shoes.
His hair is short and balding.
Anyone who recognizes this man is asked to contact Denver Police Detective Joe Campbell at 720-913-6910.
ASPEN
Boy-baby streak comes to end at 15
An uncanny streak of only boys born at the Aspen Valley Hospital ended at 15 in a row over the weekend.
Now the hospital is working on a new streak: Two girls in a row have been born since the three-week boy boom ended, spokeswoman Ginny Dyche said.
COMMERCE CITY
Fired city manager to receive $154,709
Commerce City will pay its former city manager $154,709 as part of a severance package.
The payment was part of former City Manager Perry VanDeventer’s contract, which called for him to receive one year’s pay plus a year of medical and dental benefits upon his resignation.
VanDeventer resigned in August at the request of the City Council.
VanDeventer had been criticized for excessive spending on travel and a city-owned sport utility vehicle he drove.
The Adams County district attorney’s office and outside lawyers are reviewing claims that VanDeventer received preferential treatment from the Police Department in driving incidents involving him.
Commerce City Mayor Sean Ford said the city is conducting a national search for a new city manager.
