Woman Arrested After Deadly Crash & Police Chase In Boulder County
BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - Authorities arrested Amanda Garcia in Boulder after they say she stole a vehicle following a deadly crash she was involved in and then drove off. The crash happened at 11:28 a.m. on South Boulder Road east of 68th Street.
The case is still under investigation, but Trooper Josh Lewis, a spokesman for the Colorado State Patrol, told CBS4 Garcia took an SUV at the scene of the crash before driving off.
Troopers and Boulder County deputies chased her for about 20 minutes. Boulder Police officials say officers tried to stop the vehicle using stop sticks near Arapahoe and 48th Street, but Garcia swerved around them and hit another vehicle. That driver was not hurt, police say.
Police say the suspect drove through at least two red lights before the chase ended about two miles away at Arapahoe Avenue and 28th Street. Lewis said it appeared the pursuit ended with a crash.
"I just saw them open the car door and then yanked her out," said Tye Morgan, who witnessed the arrest. "We saw her just go onto the ground and then they all drew their guns and that's when the SWAT truck kind of blocked it."
A business owner near the second crash location tells CBS4 surrounding businesses were ordered to shelter in place, and she could see authorities searching the stolen SUV.
Police say a passenger in Garcia's vehicle was seriously injured, but they did not offer more information about them. Garcia suffered minor injuries and has been released from the hospital.
Police also identified the victim in the original crash as Joseph Janicke, 86, from Eldorado Springs.