Jefferson County – Two men died in a head-on collision Saturday on U.S. 285 in the foothills southwest of Denver.
The double-fatal crash happened about noon near Parmalee Gulch Road in Jefferson County, according to the Colorado State Patrol.
The state patrol identified the dead men as Ronald C. Gist, 63, of Denver and Stephen T. Cavanagh, 23, of Bailey.
Both drivers died at the scene and both were wearing seat belts.
The state patrol gave this account of the crash:
Gist was driving a 1991 Toyota Corolla north on U.S. 285 when it ran off the left side of the road, through a median and hit head-on a 1991 Nissan Stanza driven by Cavanagh.
Four passengers in the Nissan had to be cut out of the vehicle. All sustained serious injuries and were transported to area hospitals. The passengers were identified as Sean Varney, 19, of Golden; Christopher Ray, 20, of Golden; John Finch, 22, of Bailey; and Colby Cox, 16, of Bailey.
BROOMFIELD
Police seeking clues in bank robbery
A man walked into TCF Bank, 4100 W. 144th Ave., Sunday and robbed it by showing a teller a note and yelling at her to give him money, police said.
The robbery happened about 3:30 p.m., and the suspect fled with an undisclosed amount of cash, police said.
He is described as a white man, about 6 feet tall, between 180 and 220 pounds and in his 40s or 50s, police said. He was wearing a dark colored baseball cap with a light colored logo, dark sunglasses, a long-sleeved shirt, blue jeans, and tennis shoes.
He did not display a weapon and nobody was injured, police said.
Anyone with information about this crime is asked to called the Broomfield Police at 303-464-5751 or the FBI office in Denver at 303-629-7171.
HELENA, Mont.
Grass fire destroys unoccupied house
A fast-moving grass fire destroyed one unoccupied house and a few outbuildings Sunday on the west edge of town.
The 50-acre blaze, reported at 2 p.m., prompted the evacuation of a mobile home park and several other homes near Spring Meadow Lake, affecting about 500 people, authorities said.
Brisk winds caused the fire to spread quickly to the northeast.
At the time, the National Weather Service recorded winds of 15 mph in the area with gusts of up to 27 mph. A peak gust of 31 mph was recorded at 2:49 p.m., said Jim Brusda, a Weather Service meteorologist in Great Falls.
Fire spokeswoman Amy Teegarden said two helicopters dropped water on the fire and 150 firefighters fought the flames on the ground.
NORTHGLENN
Cops deem woman’s death “suspicious”
Northglenn police are investigating the death of a woman at an apartment complex as “suspicious.”
Police were called about 7 p.m. Saturday to the Thistle Sage Apartments, 11801 Washington St., on a “report of a female down,” according to a press release.
Police are not identifying the woman, and no further details on the death were released.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call police at 303-450-8855.
ALAMOGORDO, N.M.
Hot-air fest resumes after winds die down
Wind caused the cancellation of flights during the first day of the 16th annual White Sands Balloon Invitational on Saturday, but the festival was able to resume Sunday.
“The issue with this wind is that it would force the balloons into the White Sands Missile Range,” said Dave Chelgren, balloon meister. “Mother Nature is one thing we don’t have control over.”
The balloon fest attracted 64 hot-air balloons, and 34 had been prepared to launch Saturday.
