Colorado man accused of stealing fire engine shortly after being released from jail

Authorities in Northern Colorado arrested a suspect wanted for stealing a fire engine and leading authorities on a pursuit shortly after he was released from jail. It all started just before midnight on Tuesday when Boulder police received a report of a man trying to open the doors of cars and homes in the 4500 block of 19th Street. 

When officers arrived, they arrested the suspect, later identified as Richmond Takashi Johnson, and took him to jail where he was booked on a third-degree trespassing charge and released just after 3:30 a.m.

Boulder Fire Rescue responded to the jail for an unrelated medical call at 3:39 a.m. While they were in the jail booking lobby treating the patient, investigators said Johnson got into Engine 143 and drove away. 

Boulder County Sheriff's Office deputies began a pursuit and asked Boulder police for help. Johnson was spotted at 34th Street and Valmont Road but investigators said he refused to stop. He continued driving south on Foothills Parkway before turning east on Arapahoe and then driving north on Highway 287. 

Longmont police deployed stop sticks in multiple locations along Highway 287, including at Plateau Road, Pike and Ken Pratt. 

Investigators said that likely because the tires were deflating, Johnson lost control of the fire engine at 1st Street and Main Street in downtown Longmont. Johnson jumped out of the fire engine and ran away, followed by Boulder County Sheriff's deputies and Longmont Police officers. 

Johnson was arrested within minutes, according to investigators. A Boulder County Sheriff's deputy suffered a minor injury while chasing the suspect and there was significant damage to Boulder Fire Rescue Engine 143 and two Boulder County Sheriff's Office vehicles as well as minor damage to another sheriff's office vehicle.

Johnson faces several charges in the latest incident, including obstructing a peace officer, firefighter, emergency medical service provider; felony motor vehicle theft; resisting arrest; reckless driving; felony criminal mischief (damage to city property); felony vehicular eluding; reckless endangerment; driving after revocation prohibited. 

According to Boulder Fire Rescue, Engine 143 is one of the city's electric engines and it sustained significant damage.