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drunk driving

6 years for Arapahoe Co. crash death caused by drunk driver, road rage

A drunk driver exhibiting road rage who caused a crash that killed an 19-year-old woman in rural Arapahoe County was sentenced to six years in prison.

Hector Frias-Chavarria

Arapahoe District Court Judge Eric White sentenced Hector Frias-Chavarria, 24, on Sept. 23. Frias-Chavarria pleaded guilty Feb. 8, 2021, to one count of vehicular homicide DUI and five counts of vehicular assault DUI for the crash that killed Valerie Vigil and seriously injured five other people. Other counts were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

“Not only did this defendant choose to drink and drive – he also went into a rage and chased another driver,” said District Attorney John Kellner. “Road rage and DUI can both be deadly on their own, and he combined them with terrible consequences for Ms. Vigil, her family and five other people.”

On Sept. 8, 2019, Frias-Chavarria was driving his white Dodge Ram 1500 pickup on Watkins Road in unincorporated Arapahoe County, north of East Jewel Avenue and south of I-70. Frias-Chavarria had been involved in a minor traffic incident and was chasing the other vehicle, a gray Dodge Ram 1500 pickup. Frias-Chavarria moved to pass the gray Dodge Ram; when he did this, he collided head-on at 60 mph with a Volkswagen Jetta in which Vigil was a passenger. The gray Dodge Ram then crashed into Frias-Chavarria’s pickup.

Frias-Chavarria received minor injuries; his passenger sustained serious injuries.

The driver of the gray Dodge Ram received moderate injuries; his two juvenile passengers received minor injuries.

The driver of the Jetta and three of her passengers all sustained serious injuries. Front-seat passenger Vigil was declared dead at the scene.

The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, Aurora Police Department, South Metro Fire Rescue and Colorado State Patrol all responded to the horrific crash, which tore the engine and transaxle from the Jetta and threw them into a nearby field. CSP was the investigating agency.

Vigil’s father, three siblings, grandmother, friends and some of those who were in the car with Vigil when she died attended the sentencing hearing.

“This defendant made the decision to drink and get in his truck with passengers and cause this violent wreck that caused the gruesome death of my daughter,” her father told the court. “He robbed the world of a very kind and compassionate person …. This is not about revenge – it is about justice.”

The case was prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney Casey Brown. He asked the judge to impose the maximum sentence allowed under the plea agreement, eight years.

“The defendant was involved in a minor collision, then a road rage incident ensued. He wouldn’t let it go, and he pursued the other driver, attempting to pass him in oncoming lanes,” Brown said. “His blood-alcohol level at the time was well above legal limits, which impacted his decision-making and resulted in this terrible, irreversible outcome. The magnitude of this loss cannot be put into words.”

New offense for driver who pleaded guilty in DUI death

A man who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for killing a person while driving drunk is back behind bars – convicted of DWAI while he was still under supervision.

Jeremy Quincy Brown

Jeremy Quincy Brown, 29, was convicted of driving while ability impaired by an Arapahoe County jury on July 29. He was sentenced to 12 months in jail. The time will be served in the Colorado Department of Corrections, where he is residing once again; as a result of this conviction, he has been returned to DOC to finish his sentence.

“It is obscene that this defendant killed a man while driving drunk, yet the minute he gets out of prison, he is drinking and driving again,” said District Attorney John Kellner. “If that wasn’t enough of a wake-up call, it would seem that nothing will be. His conduct is a danger to anyone on the roads in his path.”

On March 17, 2015, Brown was driving a car that crossed over a median while traveling westbound on East Iliff Avenue at South Quebec Street and slammed head-on into another vehicle. The other driver, 41-year-old Jason Soodsma, was killed.

Three of Brown’s four passengers were injured.

Brown ran from the scene, but officers quickly found him.

He pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide DUI on March 9, 2016, and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Brown transitioned to community corrections Jan. 29, 2020, and to intensive supervision on May 4, 2020. He spent fewer than four years in prison on that 10-year sentence.

On Jan 9, 2021, the manager of a restaurant called Aurora Police to report a man passed out in his car in the drive-thru lane. Police arrived to find Brown behind the wheel with the key in the ignition and the engine running.

“This defendant’s insistence on getting behind the wheel while drunk is an insult to the memory of the man he killed and those who still mourn him,” Kellner said. “Until Colorado moves closer to truth in sentencing, what victims hear in the courtroom and what plays out years later will be continue to have a disconnect.”

Aurora drunk driver gets 14 years for woman’s death

A drunk driver who struck and killed an Aurora woman as she walked on the sidewalk was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

imothy Knutson

Arapahoe County District Court Judge Darren Vahle sentenced Timothy Knutson, 40, of Aurora, for the death of Jana Phillips. The Aurora woman was 26 years old when she was killed.

Phillips’ sisters were among the numerous family members in the courtroom May 19 for sentencing, which was up to the discretion of the judge.

“My sister did nothing but good for the world. She served a purpose, and she meant more than something left on the side of the street,” one told the court.

“My sister deserved to live,” another said. “She didn’t deserve to die, no matter the weapon.”

On Oct. 28, 2018, Knutson had been drinking at a bar when he decided to drive home. Phillips was walking home on East Iliff Avenue after she had been out that evening.

Knutson’s Jeep Patriot jumped the curb and drove down the sidewalk. He hit Phillips near East Iliff and South Rifle Street. He dragged her a short distance and kept driving.

Phillips’ body was found by a passerby. The impact was such that even her socks and shoes were stripped off. She sustained massive injuries and was dead at the scene.

Aurora police arrested Knutson a short distance away on a drunk driving charge. Three open alcohol containers, numerous empty containers and a marijuana cigar were found in his Jeep. They linked him to Phillips’ death by the car parts he left at the scene and for a quarter mile along the roadway.

“Jana had no chance to get away from a car barreling down on her. She was struck and dragged, and her injuries were devastating,” Deputy District Attorney Meghan Gallo told the court during her sentencing argument. “He got behind the wheel drunk, barreled down a sidewalk and took out an innocent 24-year-old woman. She was run down like roadkill.”

Phillips’ mother spoke passionately to the judge through her tears.

“I act like everything is OK, and it’s not. I miss my baby,” she said. “All I have left is a sign: ‘In memory of Jana — Don’t drink and drive’.”

Gallo pointed out that the defendant’s blood-alcohol level at the time of the crash was estimated to be between 0.26 and 0.28. Both THC and Kratom were found in his system.

“He wasn’t simply drunk but extraordinarily drunk. He wasn’t simply high but extraordinarily high,” she said. “Five hours after the crash he was still twice over the legal limit.”

The judge noted Knutson’s past arrests and substance abuse issues, and his failure to address them.

“This defendant has failed on probation before and has had numerous crimes over a period of years,” Vahle said. “This is a fully grown, mature man fully responsible for his actions.

“It’s ironic that both of these people were drinking that night. One cared about people in society and was walking home. The other barreled down a sidewalk and killed someone. … The appropriate punishment makes a statement to society that we care about people’s lives. It sends a statement that we cannot drink and drive, and if you do, there is a punishment.”

Knutson pleaded guilty March 12, 2021, to vehicular homicide DUI and leaving the scene of an accident involving death, both Class 3 felonies.

Vahle sentenced Knutson to 10 years on the vehicular homicide count consecutive to four years for leaving the scene.

“This defendant has demonstrated that he can’t live in the community safely, despite previous opportunities for rehabilitation,” said District Attorney John Kellner. “Jana’s family and friends are forever deprived of her presence in their lives. We will never know what great things she might have done in the world. She deserved to live, and this defendant deserves to be in prison for the decisions he made. That is the appropriate consequence for his selfish actions.”

Aurora drunk driver who killed 2 people sentenced to 18 years prison

A drunk driver who hit and killed an Aurora couple and fled the scene was sentenced last week to 18 years in prison.

Cameron Smith

Arapahoe County District Court Judge Shay Whitaker sentenced Cameron Michael Smith, 28, of Aurora, for killing 23-year-old Amber Hamblin and 25-year-old Ja’Rel Woods.

Smith has previous DWAI and reckless driving convictions. At the time of the crash, he was wanted for failure to appear in court on a traffic offense.

“It pains me to see yet another case where a defendant is drunk and yet makes the decision to get behind the wheel, with fatal consequences,” said District Attorney John Kellner. “And here, the drunk driver killed two people, looked at what he had done and ran off without offering help or calling for assistance. Absolutely this defendant deserves to be in prison for his actions.”

On Oct. 27, 2019, Hamblin and Woods were driving through the intersection of I-225 and Mississippi Ave in Aurora. Smith “t-boned” Hamblin’s SUV. Hamblin died of her injuries. Woods received spinal fractures, a broken pelvis, a bruised lung and other injuries. He died of his injuries a week later.

After the crash, Smith fled the scene, but he left his wallet and driver’s license behind in the wrecked car. He was arrested a short time later trying to get a ride at a nearby gas station.

Aurora police determined that Smith worked at a bar, where he had been drinking before driving home.

Smith pleaded guilty Feb. 22 to two counts of vehicular homicide DUI, a Class 3 felony; and one count of first-degree assault extreme indifference, a Class 3 felony. Other counts against him were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.
Numerous family members offered statements during the May 13 sentencing hearing.

“This defendant has hurt so many families – not only mine and Ja’Rel’s, but also his own … To know that he was able to go up to the car, and instead of choosing to help the people that he hit, he ran and hid. It is so callous and uncaring I can barely fathom the thought” Hamblin’s father said. “In those moments, his help might have helped save a life, but we will never know.”

Hamblin’s mother also addressed the court.

“It makes me very upset that someone can kill 2 people and not have to serve time. … I can’t believe we have a court system that can give more time to someone who writes bad checks than someone who kills two people while breaking the law,” she said in asking the judge to impose the prison sentence stipulated in the plea agreement.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney Megan Brewer and Deputy District Attorney Casey Brown.

“This defendant showed no value for human life: He was driving with a blood-alcohol content of more than three times the legal limit when he struck the victims’ vehicle,” Brown. “Then, he looked in the wrecked car, saw the damage he had caused, and fled without calling for help.”

Teen sentenced for shooting, killing Aurora man

A teenager who shot and killed an Aurora man during an illegal marijuana transaction was sentenced to 48 years in prison.

Arapahoe District Court Judge Darren Vahle on Monday sentenced Xavion Daewayne Johnson, 17, of Aurora, to 48 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections for the murder of Gayland Allen Jr., who was 24 years old when he was killed. Johnson pleaded guilty May 5, 2021, to one count of second-degree murder in Allen’s death. Other counts were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

“There was no reason that Mr. Allen had to die,” said District Attorney John Kellner. “It’s a tragedy that his family and friends should not have been forced to confront. In this case, yet again we see illegal drugs playing a part in senseless violence.”

On Dec. 28, 2019, Allen met a girl in Aurora with whom he was acquainted to sell her some marijuana. She brought three other juveniles with her. When Allen got into the car to make the exchange, one of the juveniles shot him.

The shooter told the driver to go to Lookout Mountain, where the teens dragged Allen out of the car. Johnson threw him over a guardrail.

The teens went back to Aurora, and Johnson saw to it that the car was cleaned up. Later that day, three of the teens were taken into custody in Denver while shoplifting. They were in a stolen car and two of them had firearms.

Allen’s body was found on Lookout Mountain on Jan. 1, 2020. The ensuing investigation linked the murder to the teens. Johnson and the other three teens in the car were charged in Allen’s death. Two of the teens have received sentences to the Division of Youth Services, and one will be sentenced in July.

The teens in the car with Johnson told Aurora police that Johnson was upset because his cousin was killed in a shooting at the Aurora mall on Dec. 27, 2019. Before they met Allen on Dec. 28, Johnson told them, “I’m going to catch a body tonight, and I don’t care who it is.”

“There is no justice for the life that was taken … The defendant was just looking for someone to murder – it was completely senseless,” said Chief Deputy District Attorney Andrew Steers, who tried the case with Deputy District Attorney Ryan Chun. “Nothing about this sentence should diminish this act. I hope the defendant takes advantage of the opportunities he has while incarcerated.”

During the May 17 sentencing hearing, several friends and members of Allen’s family spoke to Judge Vahle.

“In a senseless act, children took matters into their own hands. There is no justice for the life that was taken,” said a friend who called Allen “my brother.”

She added: “Why didn’t one person say ‘This is wrong’? They knew right from wrong … They should be held accountable.”

Allen’s mother told the judge, “Their choices can never be taken back.”

Judge Vahle praised Allen’s family for their “grace and dignity.” He said the prison sentence was appropriate in this “utterly senseless” case.

“The community values life more than we can address in the juvenile system,” Vahle said. “The way to show that Gayland’s life matters is to say ‘no’ to this kind of violence. We can show mercy, but it is imperative to speak to the community and this family and say that this life matters.”

The defendant “took a gun, aimed it at (Allen’s) face and fired one bullet. Everyone knows that will cause death. This sentence is appropriate.”

Driver on meth when she killed woman sentenced to 12 years

A twice-convicted drunk driver who was high on meth when she hit and killed a woman was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Cayla Lynn Cushman

Arapahoe County District Court Judge Darren Vahle last week sentenced Cayla Lynn Cushman, 28, for the death of Alice Yuan, who was 60 years old when she was killed last year.

Cushman pleaded guilty Sept. 25, 2020, to vehicular homicide DUI in Yuan’s death. Other charges against her were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

“Whether you had a gun and killed someone or drove your car drunk and killed someone, a family is destroyed. The devastation you brought is overwhelming.” Vahle said in imposing the maximum sentence allowed under the plea agreement. “You had no right to drive, you had been using an illegal substance, yet you got behind the wheel, and that caused a death. … It was your choices and your decisions.”

On Feb. 16, 2020, Yuan was driving home from working a 10-hour shift at her restaurant job. She was on South Platte Canyon Road in Columbine Valley. Cushman was coming the other direction, driving 70 mph while high on meth. She crossed the center line and hit Yuan’s car. Yuan died at the scene.

Two of Yuan’s four daughters made statements at the Jan. 14 sentencing hearing, urging the judge to impose the maximum sentence.

“My family lost a mom, a wife, a daughter, a sister, an aunt and a grandmother to six grandchildren,” said one daughter who appeared in the courtroom in person. “She only stood 5 feet tall, yet she carried so much on her shoulders and did all this with a smile and a laugh.”

“Our father has been disabled for many years now, and our mother was by his side every day,” one said in a statement read by Senior Deputy District Attorney Megan Brewer. “The fact that the defendant was acting selfishly and decided to speed down a small street that is only 35 mph while under the influence and having been convicted twice prior upsets and infuriates me. … My mother did not deserve to die.”

Brewer asked the judge to impose a 12-year sentence. She noted Cushman’s previous convictions and that probation and substance abuse treatment had failed to alter Cushman’s behavior.

“We don’t know the real number of times this defendant has driven while under the influence, but we know she has been convicted twice,” Brewer said in her sentencing argument. “And this time she was under an interlock device, under the influence of meth, and she still chose to drive that night.”

Elbert jury convicts Elizabeth man of felony DUI

In the first felony trial in Elbert County under current COVID-19 restrictions, a jury found an Elizabeth man guilty of felony DUI after deliberating about 40 minutes.

The jury of 12 found Joseph Robert Hendershott, 57, guilty of driving under the influence with 3 or more priors, a Class 4 felony; and careless driving, a Class 2 traffic offense. The trial lasted two days; the verdict was read Oct 28.

“I am pleased that our judges and criminal justice system partners continue to prove that we can pursue justice and protect constitutional rights even during a global pandemic. This community is well-served,” said District Attorney George Brauchler, who tried the case with Senior Deputy District Attorney Rory Devlin. “Here, a career drunk driver, who avoided injuring or killing an innocent person by the grace of God, received a full and fair trial and now faces a full and fair prison sentence. Nothing less will protect our community.”

On Dec. 16, 2018, Elbert County Sheriff’s deputies were called to the Walmart parking lot in Elizabeth about a possible impaired driver. Witnesses reported seeing the driver, Hendershott, drive his Ford Ranger pickup into the ditch along Colorado 86 and swerve into traffic.

Deputies observed that Hendershott has bloodshot, watery eyes and slurred speech. He was unsteady on his feet and wearing only socks. Hendershott told deputies he was on three heart medications; he refused roadside sobriety tests.
Deputies found where it appeared the truck has sideswiped a chain-link fence in the parking lot, scraping the side of the truck and knocking off the passenger side mirror.

Court records show Hendershott previously was convicted of DUI in 2002 in Douglas County, in 2004 in Elbert County, in 2007 in Douglas County, and in 2008 in South Dakota.

Sentencing is set before Elbert County District Court Judge Gary Kramer on Jan. 5, 2021, at 2:30. The presumptive sentencing range is two to six years in the Department of Corrections. The charge is eligible for probation.

50 years for man who killed 2 while driving high in stolen truck

A Thornton man has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for killing two people from Texas and seriously injuring two others in a crash he caused while driving high in a stolen truck.

Skylar Pagano

Judge Jeffrey Holmes sentenced Skylar Pagano, 28, in Douglas County District via Webex on Thursday.

A jury found Pagano guilty on Dec. 16, 2019, of 17 counts, including vehicular homicide DUI in the deaths of Festus Poyner and Julee Davis, both of whom were 32 years old.

The judge noted the aggravated nature of the crime and the defendant’s past failures at rehabilitation. Pagano was on felony probation when he killed Poyner and Davis, as well as on bond awaiting sentencing in another felony. He had pleaded guilty to DUI just five months prior.

“You drove a stolen vehicle at a high rate of speed, passing vehicles on a curve, under the influence of substances – all of those things individually could lead to tragedy. Taken together, this outcome was almost inevitable,” Holmes told Pagano. “Your criminal history is extensive, and there is no indication of any remorse. You have already been exposed to almost every intervention the system has to offer you.”

“Selfish is not a big enough word for what this killer did. He took the lives of a 2-year-old boy’s parents. He shattered the little boy’s body and the lives of his grandparents and extended family,” said District Attorney George Brauchler. “But here is all you need to know about this guy: A month after his meth-fueled collision, when asked by law enforcement about killing two people, this amoral, self-loving destroyer of a young family said, ‘People die every day. I don’t care about them, I only care about myself.’ And that is all. No prison term would be too long for him.”

On May 20, 2018, Pagano was driving a stolen Ford F150 southbound on Colorado 83 with a female passenger. He was speeding – driving 80 mph where the speed limit was 65 mph. He moved to pass in a no-passing zone on a curve and hit a Toyota RAV4 driven by Poyner head-on.

The driver compartment of the RAV4 was crushed. Poyner and passenger Davis were declared dead at the scene. Their 2-year-old son was in a car seat in the back. He survived with serious, life-threatening injuries.

Pagano and his passenger were both seriously injured.

Pagano told investigators he was high on methamphetamines when he crashed.

While the families of Poyner and Davis displayed remarkable grace and compassion during proceedings, they urged the court to hold Pagano responsible for the consequences of his actions. Many travelled to Colorado from out of state at various times to give impact statements.

“There were 99 fractures in (their son’s) body – he had a full body cast, a wheelchair,” Davis’ older sister told the judge. “I don’t want (Pagano) to be able to hurt another person ever again.”

“I don’t believe this man deserves to be on the street to do this to anybody else,” Poyner’s brother said.

Prosecutors asked for a lengthy prison sentence.

The son of Davis and Poyner “has made a miraculous recovery, but that does not take away from the horror of what was done to him,” Deputy District Attorney Dan Warhola told the court. “This is a case where everywhere you turn, there is another aggravator more severe than the last.”

“None of this was an accident, and all of this was preventable,” added Chief Deputy District Attorney Brian Sugioka, who tried the case with Warhola.

Pagano was convicted of:

• 2 counts of vehicular homicide DUI
• 4 counts of first-degree assault
• 1 count of reckless child abuse
• 2 counts of vehicular homicide reckless driving
• 2 counts of vehicular assault DUI
• 2 counts vehicular assault (reckless)
• 1 count possession of drug paraphernalia
• 3 traffic counts

The young son of Davis and Poyner made a full recovery and does not remember the crash.

20 years for speeding driver who was high when she killed 2 people

A woman who killed two people in a car crash as she was evading arrest was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in prison.

Deanna Mae Bixby

Douglas County District Court Judge Patricia Herron sentenced Deanna Mae Bixby, 21, via Webex, on the two charges. Other counts were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

Bixby pleaded guilty Feb. 13 to two counts of vehicular homicide DUI in the deaths of Ryan Scott Carter and Jayne Frances Davicsin. Carter was 27 and Davicsin was 25 when Bixby crashed into their car as she was speeding on U.S. 85 near Mineral and ran a red light.

“To those who believe there is no more need for prisons, let this case be a reminder of the massive disparity between the punishment and the crime. This is an eyelash for an eye,” said District Attorney George Brauchler. “Because of Colorado’s offender-friendly sentencing structure, this self-absorbed killer of two innocent, young adults will likely be back on our streets before she turns 30. Ryan and Jayne will never get to turn 30. For the victims she crushed as she fled, for our community … how can this be justice? Colorado can and should do better.”

The incident began about 2 a.m. Feb. 6, 2019, when a Douglas County Sheriff’s deputy on patrol spotted what appeared to be a car break-in in Castle Pines. A sedan and an SUV left the scene, and the deputy followed them to contact the drivers.

The suspect vehicles were travelling north on U.S. 85 when the deputy tried to pull over the SUV, which was behind the sedan. The SUV raced off and did not yield to the deputy. Other units were called in to assist.

The sedan sped off travelling northbound in the southbound lanes of U.S. 85, at times reaching speeds of more than 100 mph. It crashed into the car Carter and Davicsin were in, killing both of them.

“The defendant plowed into the intersection and T-boned the victims’ vehicle, with catastrophic consequences. The scene was horrific,” Deputy District Attorney Meghan Gallo told the judge during sentencing on June 26. “The defendant exhibited 17 miles of extremely dangerous behavior – choosing to continue to speed while high on meth for mile after mile. She put everyone in her path at risk.”

Bixby, the driver of the sedan, was taken to Littleton Adventist Hospital to be treated for her injuries. The sedan had been stolen in Aurora.

The SUV, which was also stolen, was later found abandoned. Investigators determined Mario Juan Augustine Jose, 24, had been driving the SUV. He was arrested in Denver on Feb. 19, 2019.

Jose pleaded guilty Aug. 19 to one count of vehicular eluding. On Oct. 21, he was sentenced to three years in prison.

Friends and family of both victims gave statements during sentencing; at times 60 people were on the Webex hearing.

“Our hearts are broken by the actions of Miss Bixby. She killed two people, and their lives mattered. No one can imagine the shock and pain we endured at the hands of this criminal,” Carter’s mother told the court. “Ryan did not deserve to die over something so senseless. He had so much to offer the world, and he should have had so many years of life. We feel cheated, and we will always wonder what if …

“Deanna Bixby took everything away from us.”

Gallo prosecuted the case with Chief Deputy District Attorney Brian Sugioka.

Judge Herron chastised the defendant as she imposed the sentence.

Deanna Bixby “has lived her entire life with an absolute complete disregard for the lives and properties of others. She has lived a life that is all about her and is selfish beyond words,” Herron said.

She added, speaking directly to the defendant: “I see nothing that tells me that you are experiencing any remorse or regret. I see nothing that indicates you have any clue or any appreciation for what you have done. … I don’t believe you when you say you want to turn your life around – you have said that before and it has not been true. I don’t think it is true now.”

Former officer sentenced for DUI in Castle Rock

A former Aurora police officer who pleaded guilty to DUI and other counts in Douglas County Court was sentenced last week to 18 months probation.

Joshua Teeples

Joshua James Teeples, 32, pleaded guilty in February to driving under the influence, failure to report an accident and careless driving. On June 8, Douglas County Judge Kolony Fields sentenced him to probation; prosecutors asked for 60 days in jail. The court also ordered therapy, community service, court costs and fines.

“Any time my office is presented with a prosecutable case against a law enforcement officer, we will not — we have not — hesitated to charge the offense and pursue justice,” said District Attorney George Brauchler. “Here, the Castle Rock Police Department gave this officer no special treatment, and neither did we. Anyone who vows to uphold the law must be held to that same law. No person is above the law.”

The 18^th Judicial District Attorney’s Office has prosecuted at least 36 criminal cases against law enforcement officers since District Attorney Brauchler was elected.

On Aug. 27, 2019, Castle Rock Police responded to reports of a hit-and-run crash at Plum Creek Parkway and I-25. A Nissan Armada had run a red light and hit another vehicle, which was shoved into a third vehicle.

Officers learned the Armada was registered to Teeples and found both him and the damaged vehicle at his home.

Officers observed that Teeples had slurred speech, unsteady balance and bloodshot, watery eyes. Officers smelled alcohol on his breath. Teeples refused voluntary roadside tests and also refused a breath or blood test.

During the booking process Teeples repeatedly asked to be allowed to call his Aurora Police watch commander and told a Castle Rock officer that “rules are meant to be bent.” Teeples was combative and belligerent to the point that the officer said his “conduct was absolutely unacceptable and he made the booking process one of the worst booking processes in my career as an officer.”

Aurora Police Chief Vanessa Wilson announced Teeples’ termination on June 15.

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