Trooper Transported for Minor Injuries After Traffic Stop

News release and photos are from the Colorado State Patrol

Stop stemmed from a *CSP report of a suspected drunk driver

(Pueblo County, Colorado) – This afternoon, at about 1:00 p.m., the Colorado State Patrol was notified by a member of the community through *CSP of a grey Ford Transit Connect van, with a possible intoxicated driver who was speeding and “actively drinking a beer” on northbound Interstate 25 near Walsenburg (milepost 51). Colorado State Patrol troopers located the vehicle just south of Pueblo (near milepost 91), traveling northbound. A trooper contacted the Ford van by activating his emergency lights; the van signaled to get off the highway and stopped on the off-ramp at exit 91.

Colorado State trooper Dunbar spoke to the driver, who was behaving uncooperatively, when he observed a shotgun in the van. Shortly after, the van's driver accelerated, knocking Trooper Dunbar to the ground, and then fled northbound on Interstate 25.

The van was contacted a second time on northbound Interstate 25 near milepost 98, where Sergeant Glanton, a second Colorado State Patrol trooper, successfully conducted a Tactical Vehicle Intervention (TVI) and a ram maneuver on the suspect vehicle, effectively disabling the vehicle. The driver of the van, a 32-year-old male out of Weston, Colorado, was placed into custody and booked into Pueblo County Jail for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, felony eluding, and assault on a peace officer, among other charges.

Trooper Dunbar was taken to an area hospital as a precautionary measure for suspected minor injuries. The Colorado State Patrol will be the lead investigating agency for this incident. Any new information will be released in an updated press release.

Arrests and charges are merely accusations until and unless a suspect is convicted of a crime. All suspects and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

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