Authorities have arrested four men suspected of beating a 35 year-old Nederland resident with a shovel during a fight at a camping area on state forest land.
Witnesses said “the victim was struck several times with a shovel and possibly other weapons including a knife,” according to a Boulder County Sheriff’s Office release.
The victim, who isn’t being identified pending notification of his family, was airlifted to St. Anthony’s Central Hospital after his friends brought him to Nederland. His injuries are not life threatening.
Shortly after the assault at Ruby Gulch in the 40,000 block of the Peak to Peak Highway on Tuesday, Sheriff’s deputies and Nederland police stopped a privately-owned bus matching a description of a vehicle his assailants were seen leaving the campground in.
They arrested Andrew Robert Joseph, 24, a transient, Patrick Harley Register, 25, Byron, Ga., Jaron Trient Smith, 29, Green Acres, Fl., and Jerry Thomas Mullenix Jr., 33, of Redwood Valley, Ca.
They were arrested on charges of third degree assault, a misdemeanor.
A fifth man was arrested during the investigation on unrelated outstanding warrants.
Tom McGhee: (303)954-1671 or tmcghee@denverpost.com
