My Brush (near crash) With History
My tale begins with me leaving the house for work at about 7:25, just as I do every weekday, so I can get to work by 8:00 PM. This day was different, as KOA, the oldest radio station in the state and my constant road companion, was just starting to cover this car jacking that began in Longmont, about 30 minutes north of Brighton.
As the below news story will relate, Ryan Stone had carjacked a red Ford Edge, with a 4 year old boy in the back, and was roaring south on 1-25 towards Denver. I-25 was both well west of where I was going to be, so while I was interested in how this would end, I did not think much about it.
But, this was big news this Wednesday morning and JetCopter850, KOA's traffic copter, manned by John Morrissey was giving a play by play as to where this idiot was, and all the myriad of turns and evations this guy was trying. The one that drove home how desperate this guy was came when John Morrissey reported that he drove through a dirt field, and then a minute later down a dirt embankment to jump on I-76, a pretty busy interstate this time of morning.
Equally interesting to me, was that he was eastbound on I-76. This path would have him drive right past Brighton, in 15 minutes or so. I don't have to take I-76 to get to work, but I do drive over it, when I am on Buckley Road, at just past 136th Ave. As I made by turn onto Buckley Rd, I checked the sky towards the southwest looking for a helicopter. I soon found it, and by it's position I figured I knew where this moron was at. I was relieved that I would not be delayed in getting to work, as John Morrissey relayed that the driver had passed 136th and 144th, which effectively put him behind me, as I continued on to work.
But seconds later the tone of the traffic reporter changed to something more akin to panic, and the two morning show host joined him in surprise as the carjacker forced a mini-van to stop and switched vehicles with the two ladies in that vehicle. As if this was not surprising enough, this seemingly suicidal imbecile begins driving westbound in the eastbound lane. This section of I-76 is not super busy, but it is far from devoid of traffic either.
I had lost track of where I was in my commute as I was enthralled as this story was playing out. But the car ahead of me slowed and stopped at the red light we approached. Just then John Morrissey reported both a description ("champagne colored mini van") and the now totally believable fact that this newly carjacked vehicle was heading up the wrong way of the exit ramp to 136th. I looked up at the street sign, as the light turned green. It said 136th Ave.
I was not first in line at the light. I think I was second. But to my left were three things; the rising sun in the eastern sky (I-76 kind of runs at a diagonal here), a lane of cars wanting to turn onto 136th, and somewhere close this speeding mini-van. I did not know what I should do. The car in front of me went, so I did, too. But, I crept out there, fighting the sun and waiting to clear the line of cars. To my relief, a mini-van with its lights on (for safety, dontchaknow) was slowing down as it approached the intersection. I was sure that meant he was going to stop for his red light. Then I noticed the color of the van was a light tan. "CHAMPAGNE!" my brain screamed as I floored it, to get out of the way.
Obviously this jackass was timing traffic, and when he saw his opening, presumably behind me, he accelerated, too. He missed me by about four feet, as best as I can tell. When you read the the news report aftter by account, I have bolded the point in that story where Carjacker and I intersected.
I continued on to work, listening for another 15-20 minutes or so. He got onto E-470 shortly, and I saw him again when he was turned back my direction by his entry to that highway. But he was now on a different path leading to jail, and I was on my way to work.
As the below news story will relate, Ryan Stone had carjacked a red Ford Edge, with a 4 year old boy in the back, and was roaring south on 1-25 towards Denver. I-25 was both well west of where I was going to be, so while I was interested in how this would end, I did not think much about it.
But, this was big news this Wednesday morning and JetCopter850, KOA's traffic copter, manned by John Morrissey was giving a play by play as to where this idiot was, and all the myriad of turns and evations this guy was trying. The one that drove home how desperate this guy was came when John Morrissey reported that he drove through a dirt field, and then a minute later down a dirt embankment to jump on I-76, a pretty busy interstate this time of morning.
Equally interesting to me, was that he was eastbound on I-76. This path would have him drive right past Brighton, in 15 minutes or so. I don't have to take I-76 to get to work, but I do drive over it, when I am on Buckley Road, at just past 136th Ave. As I made by turn onto Buckley Rd, I checked the sky towards the southwest looking for a helicopter. I soon found it, and by it's position I figured I knew where this moron was at. I was relieved that I would not be delayed in getting to work, as John Morrissey relayed that the driver had passed 136th and 144th, which effectively put him behind me, as I continued on to work.
But seconds later the tone of the traffic reporter changed to something more akin to panic, and the two morning show host joined him in surprise as the carjacker forced a mini-van to stop and switched vehicles with the two ladies in that vehicle. As if this was not surprising enough, this seemingly suicidal imbecile begins driving westbound in the eastbound lane. This section of I-76 is not super busy, but it is far from devoid of traffic either.
I had lost track of where I was in my commute as I was enthralled as this story was playing out. But the car ahead of me slowed and stopped at the red light we approached. Just then John Morrissey reported both a description ("champagne colored mini van") and the now totally believable fact that this newly carjacked vehicle was heading up the wrong way of the exit ramp to 136th. I looked up at the street sign, as the light turned green. It said 136th Ave.
I was not first in line at the light. I think I was second. But to my left were three things; the rising sun in the eastern sky (I-76 kind of runs at a diagonal here), a lane of cars wanting to turn onto 136th, and somewhere close this speeding mini-van. I did not know what I should do. The car in front of me went, so I did, too. But, I crept out there, fighting the sun and waiting to clear the line of cars. To my relief, a mini-van with its lights on (for safety, dontchaknow) was slowing down as it approached the intersection. I was sure that meant he was going to stop for his red light. Then I noticed the color of the van was a light tan. "CHAMPAGNE!" my brain screamed as I floored it, to get out of the way.
Obviously this jackass was timing traffic, and when he saw his opening, presumably behind me, he accelerated, too. He missed me by about four feet, as best as I can tell. When you read the the news report aftter by account, I have bolded the point in that story where Carjacker and I intersected.
I continued on to work, listening for another 15-20 minutes or so. He got onto E-470 shortly, and I saw him again when he was turned back my direction by his entry to that highway. But he was now on a different path leading to jail, and I was on my way to work.
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2014
Drug suspect arrested in Colorado after carjacking 3 vehicles, leading cops on wild high-speed chase
BY PHILIP CAULFIELD
A wanted maniac led police on a wild, high-speed chase through Colorado on Wednesday after he stole a car from a gas station and then managed to carjack two other drivers during the pursuit.
The alleged thief, Ryan Stone, was arrested at around 8 a.m. after he crashed at intersection outside Denver and tried to escape police by fleeing through the snow on foot, local news footage showed.
A Colorado State Trooper was injured in the chase and was taken to a Littleton hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries, local ABC News reported.
One source told the station the trooper suffered a broken leg.
WWW.DENVERPOST.COMStone was arrested at around 8 a.m. after crashing a stolen vehicle in an intersection some 20 miles south of downtown Denver.
Authorities said the pursuit began at around 6 a.m. when Stone, 28, swiped a maroon Ford Edge SUV with a 4-year-old child in it from a Bradley's gas station in Longmont.
The child's mother had left the car idling while she went inside to pay for gas, authorities said.
Stone, who cops said was wanted on drug charges, jumped inside and sped off, heading south on I-25.
HANDOUTRyan Stone was wanted on drug charges and had failed to make a court appearance earlier this month.
As police and news helicopters tailed the vehicle, the driver tore through rush hour traffic, veering onto the shoulders to pass other cars.
After exiting the highway, he eventually ended up on I-76, where he headed off a tan minivan travelling on an exit ramp.
Stone, who was dressed in a gold and black jacket, leaped out of the Ford and pulled the driver and another person out of the van, harrowing news footage showed.
The incident began when Stone allegedly stole a red Ford SUV from a gas station in Longmont. A short time later, Stone cut off the driver of a tan minivan near I-76, pulled the van's driver from the car and fled in that vehicle, seen above.
He then sped across a grass embankment and roared through the eastbound lanes of I-76, heading the wrong way.
Authorities said the little boy was left behind in the Ford.
He wasn't hurt, and Longmont police were working to reunite him with his mother, a spokesman told local ABC.
In the van, Stone came close to ramming several cars head-on and dodged police stop sticks before ending up on E-470, where he clipped several more cars and struck a guard rail, damaging the van.
After crashing and crippling the minivan, Stone rammed a silver sedan, yanked the female driver out and fled in her car.
Minutes later, he crashed into another car, this time a silver sedan.
When that car stopped, Stone crept up to the driver's door and yanked a woman out, the helicopter footage showed.
The woman lunged for the door as Stone sped off.
Police caught up with Stone after he crashed into another car intersection near Peoria St. and Lincoln Ave., south of Denver. He tried to run, but was arrested.
About a mile later, he flew into an intersection near Peoria St. and Lincoln Ave., about 20 miles south of downtown Denver, and slammed into another car, crippling his getaway car.
He fled on foot through the snow and tried to hop a chain link fence, but couldn't get over.
As officers closed in, he lay on his stomach and was quickly pinned down and cuffed. Police said he did not have a weapon on him.
The 4-year-old boy in the first car Stone stole was unhurt. A state trooper was seriously injured during the chase and taken to a local hospital.
He was taken to a local hospital, where investigators were looking into whether he was high or drunk.
Longmont police spokesman Commander Jeffrey Satur told the Associated Press that Stone was wanted on a "dangerous drug" charge after he didn't show up to a court hearing March 4.
Stone was with his girlfriend when she was stopped in an apparently stolen car in Longmont Tuesday night, Satur said. It's not clear why he wasn't arrested then.
Stone was "definitely running like a person who did not want to go back to jail," Satur said.
It wasn't yet clear if the driver in the last collision was injured.
The Denver Post reported Stone had a long rap sheet dating back to 2003, including busts for assault, drugs, weapons possession and child abuse.
With News Wire Services
The alleged thief, Ryan Stone, was arrested at around 8 a.m. after he crashed at intersection outside Denver and tried to escape police by fleeing through the snow on foot, local news footage showed.
A Colorado State Trooper was injured in the chase and was taken to a Littleton hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries, local ABC News reported.
One source told the station the trooper suffered a broken leg.
WWW.DENVERPOST.COMStone was arrested at around 8 a.m. after crashing a stolen vehicle in an intersection some 20 miles south of downtown Denver.
Authorities said the pursuit began at around 6 a.m. when Stone, 28, swiped a maroon Ford Edge SUV with a 4-year-old child in it from a Bradley's gas station in Longmont.
The child's mother had left the car idling while she went inside to pay for gas, authorities said.
Stone, who cops said was wanted on drug charges, jumped inside and sped off, heading south on I-25.
HANDOUTRyan Stone was wanted on drug charges and had failed to make a court appearance earlier this month.
As police and news helicopters tailed the vehicle, the driver tore through rush hour traffic, veering onto the shoulders to pass other cars.
After exiting the highway, he eventually ended up on I-76, where he headed off a tan minivan travelling on an exit ramp.
Stone, who was dressed in a gold and black jacket, leaped out of the Ford and pulled the driver and another person out of the van, harrowing news footage showed.
The incident began when Stone allegedly stole a red Ford SUV from a gas station in Longmont. A short time later, Stone cut off the driver of a tan minivan near I-76, pulled the van's driver from the car and fled in that vehicle, seen above.
He then sped across a grass embankment and roared through the eastbound lanes of I-76, heading the wrong way.
Authorities said the little boy was left behind in the Ford.
He wasn't hurt, and Longmont police were working to reunite him with his mother, a spokesman told local ABC.
In the van, Stone came close to ramming several cars head-on and dodged police stop sticks before ending up on E-470, where he clipped several more cars and struck a guard rail, damaging the van.
After crashing and crippling the minivan, Stone rammed a silver sedan, yanked the female driver out and fled in her car.
Minutes later, he crashed into another car, this time a silver sedan.
When that car stopped, Stone crept up to the driver's door and yanked a woman out, the helicopter footage showed.
The woman lunged for the door as Stone sped off.
Police caught up with Stone after he crashed into another car intersection near Peoria St. and Lincoln Ave., south of Denver. He tried to run, but was arrested.
About a mile later, he flew into an intersection near Peoria St. and Lincoln Ave., about 20 miles south of downtown Denver, and slammed into another car, crippling his getaway car.
He fled on foot through the snow and tried to hop a chain link fence, but couldn't get over.
As officers closed in, he lay on his stomach and was quickly pinned down and cuffed. Police said he did not have a weapon on him.
The 4-year-old boy in the first car Stone stole was unhurt. A state trooper was seriously injured during the chase and taken to a local hospital.
He was taken to a local hospital, where investigators were looking into whether he was high or drunk.
Longmont police spokesman Commander Jeffrey Satur told the Associated Press that Stone was wanted on a "dangerous drug" charge after he didn't show up to a court hearing March 4.
Stone was with his girlfriend when she was stopped in an apparently stolen car in Longmont Tuesday night, Satur said. It's not clear why he wasn't arrested then.
Stone was "definitely running like a person who did not want to go back to jail," Satur said.
It wasn't yet clear if the driver in the last collision was injured.
The Denver Post reported Stone had a long rap sheet dating back to 2003, including busts for assault, drugs, weapons possession and child abuse.
With News Wire Services