GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.-
A former Lafayette police officer facing first-degree murder charges after a car wreck that killed college sweethearts had a blood-alcohol content of 0.29, more than three times the legal limit, court records show.
Patrick Strawmatt, 42, of Westminster is accused of ramming a small car from behind with an SUV while fleeing arrest at more than 100 mph.
Two people in the small car, Jennifer Kois of Brighton and her boyfriend, Jacob Brock of Eagle, were killed. Both were 19 and attended Mesa State.
The collision occurred March 22 in Mesa County. In addition to first-degree murder charges, Strawmatt faces charges of vehicular homicide, second-degree assault and vehicular eluding—22 counts in all.
The Daily Sentinel in Grand Junction reported Tuesday that Strawmatt’s blood-alcohol level was disclosed at a hearing in Fairplay, where he faces charges of assaulting an officer and eluding police in a separate Feb. 15 incident in Park County.
He was free on $15,000 bond in that case at the time of the fatal collision in Mesa County.
Authorities said his blood-alcohol content was 0.108 about four hours after his arrest in the Park County case. In Colorado, 0.08 blood-alcohol is considered driving under the influence.
Strawmatt is being held on $1 million bail in the Mesa County incident. His bail was raised Monday to $500,000 in the Park County incident.
His next court appearance in the Park County case is May 7.
