Akron – Authorities say they believe a pickup driver who caused a head-on crash near Akron in which three people, including a small child, were killed was impaired.
Bryant C. Hays, 26, of Sussex, Wis., was driving a blue 2002 Chevrolet Silverado west on U.S. 34 about 5 p.m. Sunday when the pickup drifted into the eastbound lane and crashed into another car, said Gilbert Mares, Colorado State Patrol spokesman.
Hays was killed, as well as two people in the other car, 33-year-old Jon A. Stravers of Boise, Idaho, and 3-year-old Jonah Stravers, Mares said.
The accident happened about 2 miles east of Akron in northeastern Colorado. Mares said police believe Hays was impaired with drugs and alcohol. The investigation is continuing.
Additional local news briefs:
DENVER
Shooting death of woman under review
A woman died from a gunshot wound early Monday, and police aren’t sure whether it was a suicide or homicide, officials say.
Police were called to the 1700 block of South Broadway about 1 a.m., said Sonny Jackson, Denver police spokesman.
“Someone was yelling and screaming,” Jackson said.
When police arrived, they found a woman shot inside an apartment, he said. The case is still under investigation.
ASPEN
Ski firm adding to affordable housing
The Aspen Skiing Co. wants to more than double its employee housing in the next few years and is adding to its stock with a renovated hotel and an apartment building in El Jebel.
The ski company employs more than 3,000 people in the winter and has housing for 250 of its workers. An ongoing issue is a scarcity of affordable housing for workers.
The company hopes to finish renovating a former hotel in Aspen by December. That will add 56 beds.
“As beds have become more expensive and more precious, we’ve ramped up the efforts,” said Jim Laing, the company’s human resources director.
In July, the ski company bought the Sopris View apartment building, which has 62 two-bedroom units. The company also plans to build a new housing complex for 125 people in Snowmass.
Construction could start next year and be ready for tenants by the 2008-09 ski season.
DENVER
Cop stable after unit collides with vehicle
A Denver police officer was injured early Monday when another vehicle hit his patrol car as the officer sped with lights and sirens activated on Federal Boulevard.
The two vehicles collided near West 18th Avenue and Federal, and the crash sent the officer’s vehicle tumbling about 100 yards.
An ambulance rushed the officer to Denver Health Medical Center, where he was described as being alert and in stable condition with cuts and broken bones.
The driver of the vehicle that hit the officer, a woman, was not seriously injured, Denver police spokesman Sonny Jackson said.
The accident happened about midnight as the officer raced north on Federal, responding to a report of a fellow officer calling for help. That officer turned out to be OK.
At the same time, Jackson said, a woman driving a Jeep Cherokee south on Federal tried to turn left into a Burger King parking lot.
“She for some reason either didn’t see him or didn’t react,” Jackson said.
ASPEN
Natural-gas lawsuit could be revived
City officials are considering reviving a lawsuit against natural-gas companies they believe overcharge Aspen customers.
The city sued Kinder Morgan Inc. and other companies in 2004 claiming Aspen residents were overcharged by as much as 20 percent because of a failure to account for the town’s elevation.
The lawsuit claimed that because gas expands at higher elevations, mountain customers must buy more than sea-level residents to get the same amount of heat.
Kinder Morgan said it does take altitude into account on Colorado’s Western Slope.
A state district court ruled that the Colorado Public Utilities Commission should handle the dispute.
Aspen officials said they didn’t have faith in the commission because of what they believed was the panel’s pro-business tilt under Republican Gov. Bill Owens’ administration.
City officials might take their chances now that Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter has made new appointments to the commission.
BOULDER
City negotiating land deal with ranch clan
Boulder is negotiating a $10 million deal with a ranch family in Jefferson County to keep land close to the city’s open space undeveloped.
The city has wanted to buy the 573-acre Hogan Ranch for two decades, in part because Jefferson County has zoned the property to allow up to 295 homes and commercial development.
City Councilwoman Crystal Gray said the prospect of a developer buying a large parcel so close to the city’s interests prompted Boulder to negotiate a conservation easement with the family.
Gray said the easement would require the family to give up development rights but retain the property.
