Briefing, February 17

Published February 17, 2006 at midnight

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DENVER

Dems request files from House minority leader

Democrats have sent a letter to House Minority Leader Joe Stengel requesting copies of time sheets, notes, memos and requests for reimbursement for his work on behalf of the Colorado General Assembly in 2005, state Democratic Party Chairwoman Pat Waak said Thursday.

The letter comes on the heels of a report in the Rocky Mountain News Tuesday that Stengel billed the state $24,000 for work he performed while the legislature was out of session. Stengel collected a check for working 240 days out of 247 days in the off session, considerably more than other legislative leaders.

Stengel could not be reached for comment Thursday evening.

The request by the Democrats was made under Colorado's Open Records Law. Stengel, R-Littleton, is required to respond within 72 hours.

Debris, ice hinders fire probe at tire store

Unstable walls, ice and debris prevented West Metro Fire Rescue investigators from sifting for clues for the cause of a blaze that destroyed the Discount Tire Co. store at 2000 S. Kipling Parkway.

"We don't have an estimate yet on damages, but the owners said it was a complete loss," spokeswoman Cindy Matthews said Thursday.

The alarm came in about 7:40 p.m. Wednesday after the tire company had closed. The roof of the building collapsed shortly after the firefighters arrived. More than 4,700 tires, but no vehicles, were inside.

Hart endorses Ritter in bid for governor

Bill Ritter's gubernatorial bid picked up an endorsement Thursday from former U.S. Sen. Gary Hart.

Hart, a Democrat, served two terms as a U.S. senator and ran for president in 1984 and 1988.

"Bill Ritter has a strong sense of where Colorado needs to go," Hart said.

Ritter, Denver's former district attorney, said he was honored to receive Hart's support.

After-school worker faces second accusation

An after-school worker charged with using a stun gun to discipline a 13-year-old boy also was accused of acting "inappropriately" with another student.

The second case did not involve a Taser, Denver Public Schools spokesman Mark Stevens said. Stevens said he couldn't discuss the case but said it did not rise to the level of a police investigation.

On Jan. 11, a Horace Mann Middle School student told his mother that after-school worker Shaun Ellis, 24, shocked him three times after the student had been accused of tripping a girl in the hallway, according to court documents. Ellis was fired the next day.

Ellis is charged with second-degree assault with a deadly weapon. He is out on $5,000 bail.

LITTLETON

Man, 55, arrested in Internet sex case

A Littleton man is facing a slew of felony counts following his arrest on suspicion of attempting to solicit underage girls for sex over the Internet.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office reported that Michael Joseph Haswell, 55, was arrested at his home Wednesday after a seven- month probe that began when the suspect allegedly used the Internet to contact a Philadelphia U.S. postal inspector who was posing online as a 12-year-old girl.

Haswell is being held on $100,000 bond for investigation of 17 felony counts - including seven counts of sexual exploitation of a child - and six misdemeanors.

BROOMFIELD

Charges pending for man after SWAT search

A Broomfield man turned himself in to police late Wednesday after SWAT officers searched his home and allegedly found guns and evidence that he was growing marijuana.

Adam Lapiana-Tunis, 26, was booked and released pending charges, police spokeswoman Sgt. Colleen O'Connell said.

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