Colorado man arrested over 2 months after allegedly killing dog in Grand Junction road rage incident

A man has been arrested months after a road rage incident in western Colorado ended with a dog being killed.

The incident happened around 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 11 in Grand Junction, according to police.

It started when a man was driving with his dog after a walk near the Gunnison River, Grand Junction police said in a statement on Wednesday. Another man, later identified as 32-year-old Dylan Lange, started following the dog owner in a gold sedan. When the man stopped at Hathorne Park, Lange allegedly got out of his car and confronted the man about his driving, allegedly trying to provoke a physical altercation.

During the verbal argument, the dog jumped out of the car and Lange allegedly kicked it, got into his car, and then struck the dog before fleeing, police said.

The dog succumbed to its injuries, despite efforts to save it.

Police later identified Lange through the course of their investigation and an arrest warrant was issued. He was arrested on Tuesday and booked at the Mesa County Detention Facility on charges of criminal mischief, harassment, and animal cruelty resulting in death.

Lange was originally given a $2,500 bond but then released on Wednesday on a $5,000 personal recognizance bond, court records show. He was arraigned on Wednesday and is due back in court on Jan. 21.

Court records also show he was convicted of domestic violence assault in 2013, assault with a deadly weapon in 2014, domestic violence harassment in 2014, and obstructing a police officer in 2021 — all in Mesa County.