A man who allegedly ran over a Denver deputy sheriff was planning to escape to Canada with the help of his girlfriend, according to court documents.
The pair, Brendan Cook and Natalie DaFermo, were well on their way to implementing the plan after Cook escaped from a home in the 1200 block of Knox South Court on Feb. 19 and met DaFermo about 12 hours later, according to a probable cause statement filed by Denver police.
Earlier that day, at approximately 7:30 a.m., the 25-year-old Cook had been cornered by deputies in a home in the 1200 block of South Knox Court after he failed to appear at a court hearing.
Cook fled the house by escaping out a back window, jumping into his car and allegedly hitting Deputy Don Travis as he drove away.
Travis was released from a hospital hours after being struck.
According to the court document, DaFermo, 22, was in the home as the deputies closed in on Cook.
About an hour after Cook’s escape, Cook’s car was found on West Mosier Place, near Garfield Lake Park.
However, Cook disappeared.
DaFermo was then placed under surveillance by undercover officers, the document said. They watched as she left the South Knox Court residence about 8 p.m., filled her car with bags of clothing, went to a check-cashing business and then drove to an apartment in the 1800 block of South Lowell Boulevard.
Within minutes, they saw Cook walk into the apartment.
As officers closed in, Cook tried to run out the back door and was caught.
People in the apartment told investigators that Cook and DaFermo were planning to escape to Canada.
They told detectives that DaFermo knew of a wooded area on the U.S.-Canadian border where they could escape into Canada without detection.
Cook has been charged with second-degree assault on a peace officer and DaFermo has been charged with accessory to a crime.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
