Lakewood – Police are looking for a woman who West Metro Fire investigators believe intentionally set fire to her family’s townhouse early Wednesday and then fled.
A warrant charging Nancy Jean Jewett, 47, with four counts of attempted murder has been issued. She is described as 5-foot-7 and 190 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes.
Police spokesman Steve Davis said she is believed to be driving a green 1998 Buick Century four-door sedan with Colorado license plate 641-KNG.
The family’s townhouse, at 408 S. Balsam St., suffered moderate damage when the fire broke out shortly after 2 a.m. Wednesday.
Jewett’s husband and two children, aged 19 and 24, and the 24-year-old’s boyfriend were in the residence and were able to escape, Davis said.
Anyone with information is asked to call Lakewood police at 303-987-7111.
DENVER
Ex gets probation in puréeing of pet fish
A man who forced his way into his ex-girlfriend’s home, grabbed “Blue” – the woman’s pet Siamese fighting fish – and ground it up in her kitchen garbage disposal Dec. 8 was sentenced Thursday to two years’ probation – and was told never to get any pets.
Denver District Judge Robert Hyatt also fined Uriah M. Williams $500 and ordered him to attend domestic-violence classes and to stay away from his former girlfriend.
On Dec. 8, Denver police were called to the woman’s home on a report of domestic violence. The victim, 24, told police that Williams, also 24, had forced his way in, then put the fish in the garbage disposal and turned it on.
Williams said nothing during his sentencing. But after the hearing, he claimed Blue was his fish.
LONGMONT
Falling equipment crushes employee
A Longmont man was killed Thursday when a 1,000-pound piece of equipment fell on him and crushed him, police said.
The accident happened about 8:45 a.m. Thursday at Superior Sandblasting on Great Western Drive. The man, a 26-year-old whose name was not released, was helping the company owner use a forklift to move a piece of heavy equipment called a tank welder.
A chain came loose, and the tank welder fell about 6 feet onto the man, Longmont police said.
FORT LUPTON
Motorcyclist killed in wreck identified
Authorities have identified Terry Ritchey, 62, of Fort Lupton as the motorcyclist who was killed Monday in a traffic accident.
Ritchey was struck by a piece of farm equipment while driving his motorcycle northbound on U.S. 85 and then run over by a southbound truck.
JEFFERSON COUNTY
Identity theft nets decade behind bars
One of four people indicted in November as part of an alleged identity-theft ring was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in prison.
Ryan Paul Lackey, 28, pleaded guilty to a violation of the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act and identity theft.
The indictment said Lackey was part of a ring operating in the metro area between July 2005 and August 2006. The participants allegedly stole personal and financial information, forged stolen checks and forged prescriptions.
DENVER
Former Mayor Peña honored for service
Former Denver Mayor Federico Peña was honored Thursday with the Denver Regional Council of Governments’ highest award.
The John V. Christensen Memorial Award was given to Peña for his leadership, for coalition building on projects such as the convention center and the airport, and for bringing the Colorado Rockies to town.
Peña, now a managing director at the private equity firm Vestar Capital Partners, served as a state representative and as minority leader in the early 1980s. He became mayor of Denver in 1983 and served until 1991.
ARVADA
Veteran police chief is retiring in July
Police Chief Ron Sloancq announced Thursday that he is retiring in early July after 13 years in the position.
Before he was named Arvada’s chief, Sloan served 17 years with the Aurora Police Department. The process to select Sloan’s successor is being considered.
DENVER
Final radium removal set from city’s streets
The last remaining low-level radium will be removed from beneath Denver streets beginning in May – completing a five-year U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Superfund cleanup – Denver officials said.
Denver was a radium processing center in the early 1900s. After the activity was abandoned, radium waste was used as roadbed aggregate in the 1920s.
This year’s removal will be in the Capitol Hill/Cheesman Park area. Traffic delays are expected. A meeting about it will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Corona Presbyterian Church.
DENVER
Police spokeswoman honored by chamber
Detective Virginia Quiñones, who works with the press as a public information officer, was named the Government Advocate of the Year on Thursday by the Denver Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Quiñones, who joined the Denver Police Department in 1989, was selected because of her interaction with the Latino community and involvement with civic organizations.
DENVER
Lawyer indicted in concealing income
Denver lawyer Gordon Dale Sanchez has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver on one count of tax evasion and one count of failing to file a federal income tax return.
The indictment alleges that Sanchez, 52, concealed a capital gain of about $135,393 related to the sale of a home. Sanchez is also accused of evading income tax and self-employment tax he and his spouse owed.
Phone messages left for Sanchez were not returned.
