GOLDEN
Motorist gets 11 years in hit-run death of
bicyclist
A motorist who struck and killed a bicyclist in Coal Creek Canyon before fleeing more than a year ago was ordered Monday to spend 11 years in prison.
Robert C. Gwizdalski, 42, of Black Hawk, pleaded guilty Sept. 21 to a count of vehicular homicide while under the influence. In addition to his 11-year sentence, Gwizdalski was ordered to pay more than $3,000 of restitution, fines and court costs.
In exchange for Gwizdalski's guilty plea, the Jefferson County district attorney agreed to dismiss felony and misdemeanor counts of vehicular homicide, reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident causing death and DUI.
Gwizdalski had a conviction in 2004 for driving while ability impaired in Gilpin County, the district attorney's office said.
On June 29, 2005, Gwizdalski was driving his 1993 Chevrolet Blazer west on Colorado 72, also known as Coal Creek Canyon Road, southwest of the Rocky Flats Environmental Tech Center, when he hit the victim, Anthony Brandolino, who was riding his bicycle along the right shoulder of the highway.
After hitting the victim, Gwizdal-ski continued driving, witnesses told state troopers.
Troopers apprehended Gwizdal-ski a short time after the hit-and- run.
DENVER
8 Lincoln High students hurt in SUV
rollover
Eight Lincoln High School students suffered minor injuries Monday when the sport utility vehicle they were riding in rolled over, Denver police said.
The accident occurred around 2:30 p.m. at the intersection of Sheridan Boulevard and Morrison Road, when the driver of the northbound Chevrolet Tahoe carrying the students failed to negotiate a turn and rolled the vehicle onto its top, police spokesman Sonny Jackson said.
The students were taken to Porter Adventist and St. Anthony Central hospitals, where they were treated and released.
Jackson said the accident remains under investigation.
U.S. attorney gets case of suspected data leak
The investigation of a man suspected of illegally accessing a federal database to benefit Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Beauprez has been referred to the U.S. Attorney for Wyoming.
Cory Voorhis, an agent for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, has been under investigation in the suspected leaking of information on illegal immigrants arrested in Denver. That information was used by Beauprez in a series of TV attack ads against Gov.-elect Bill Ritter.
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation conducted a joint investigation of the leak with the FBI. That investigation is largely complete, and the U.S. attorney in Wyoming will decide whether to press charges.
The case was given to Wyoming authorities because Voorhis had worked with the Colorado U.S. attorney on several cases, creating a possible conflict of interest for that office.
Man charged in deaths of father, caregiver
A man accused of killing his 81- year-old father and the man's caregiver was charged Monday with two counts of first-degree murder.
Gregory Owens, 43, is facing the charges after his father, Israel Simpson, and Peggy Ford, 38, were found in a house in the 3600 block of Garfield Street on Nov. 19.
Family members notified police after Ford had not contacted relatives for more than a week. Investigators suspect the two victims had been dead for several days when they were discovered.
On the same day the bodies were found, Owens was arrested in Denver on an unrelated incident for threatening a relative with a shotgun. He lived in the same house as his father.
Owens is scheduled to appear in court Nov. 29.
Victim in light-rail accident identified
A 43-year-old Denver man died after being struck by a light-rail train Friday in Englewood.
The victim was identified as Stephen Vlach.
An autopsy Monday revealed that he died from injuries of being struck by the train.
Police received a call at 6:49 p.m. Friday about a body seen alongside the tracks near South Santa Fe Drive just north of West Dartmouth Avenue.
A light-rail driver operating a northbound train reported hitting something in the area but didn't know what it was at the time, police said.
Another train going through the area reported what appeared to be a body near the tracks.
The area is surrounded by chain- link fence topped with barbed wire and marked with no-trespassing signs.
It isn't known how Vlach gained entry into the area.
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