Officer shoots at fleeing suspect
Driver of stolen truck crashes
John C. Ensslin, Rocky Mountain News
Published February 19, 2007 at midnight
A Westminster patrolman shot at a suspect fleeing from a stolen vehicle after a police chase Saturday morning ended with a crash in Denver.
The incident began Saturday around 4 a.m. when two people called Westminster police to report they had been robbed at gunpoint by a suspect who fled in a black 2006 Dodge Ram pickup truck.
A few minutes later, a Westminster officer spotted the vehicle near West 72nd Avenue and Lowell Boulevard. The driver of the truck, which had been stolen in Park County on Friday, refused to pull over.
A pursuit that followed went into Commerce City and Denver before the truck crashed into a concrete barrier in the 4600 block of Elizabeth Street and landed on the passenger side.
Police arrested three people found in the vehicle. A fourth person fled on foot.
During the subsequent chase, a Westminster officer fired several shots at the fleeing suspect, thinking he had a gun.
Westminster police spokeswoman Stephanie Topkoff said no gun was found on the man.
"He simulated a weapon, so the officer took that as a threat," she said.
The suspect was injured, but Topkoff said it is not clear whether the injury was caused by one of the shots or by the crash. The man was taken to Denver Health Medical Center with minor injuries, she said.
Police identified him as David Powell, 24, a registered sex offender with a lengthy criminal history. He also was wanted on a parole violation.
The three other suspects taken into custody have been identified as 18-year-old Steven Erick Mills, 21-year-old Vincent Real and 25-year-old Kristin Garcia.
Police are investigating whether the three may be involved in crimes committed in Park County.
ensslinj@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5291
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