Colorado snowplow stops vehicle fleeing police
A parolee with a warrant for his arrest was taken into custody after sheriff's deputies pursued him over a snowy mountain pass that was closed due to avalanche clean-up. The pursuit ended when the driver of a Colorado Department of Transportation snowplow used his truck's blade to hit the fleeing suspect's car head-on.
The snowplow driver "attempted to protect and shield other vehicles from the suspect's vehicle," stated a press release from the Grand County Sheriff's Office.
Randy Calvin, 33, ran from the crash scene but was apprehended by officers from the Empire Police Department.
A Grand County sergeant began chasing Calvin's silver Jeep Cherokee just after noon Thursday. The sergeant was positioned across Highway 40 at Mary Jane Road in Winter Park, preventing traffic from proceeding over Berthoud Pass where CDOT crews were clearing the road of debris from natural avalanches.
Calvin, per GCSO's press release, drove through the closure and refused to pull over after the sergeant caught up with him.
The GCSO sergeant ended his part in the pursuit at the top of Berthoud Pass where highway crosses from Grand into Clear Creek County. Clear Creek deputies were notified about the fleeing vehicle.
Five miles beyond the pass's summit, the Jeep crashed into the CDOT snowplow.
No injuries were suffered in the accident.
"We at CDOT are incredibly proud of our colleague's quick thinking and selflessness to protect people on the road from this dangerous situation," CDOT Communications Director Matt Inzeo told CBS News Colorado in a statement. "And because that individual is a dedicated snow fighter and public servant, he is preparing for his next shift for this storm. Stay tuned for more information, but first we're going to let our colleague finish the job and get some rest."
Calvin was booked into the Grand County jail on charges related to Thursday's incident: Vehicular Eluding, Reckless Driving, DUI, and several traffic violations including driving while his license is revoked.
He is also being held on an outstanding warrant from the Colorado Department of Corrections. Calvin was wanted for recently violating his parole, according to Grand County.
Calvin was sentenced to two years in the state prison system following his conviction in two Weld County cases and another in La Plata County. The La Plata case involved a charge for vehicular eluding, per online court records.