Authorities arrest man who allegedly struck Colorado police officer, two vehicles and fled
A man who reportedly struck a Colorado police officer and two vehicles before fleeing each scene was captured Saturday afternoon.
According to the Clear Creek Sheriff's Office, the Aaron Family was involved in the first of three hit-and-runs around noon at the Safeway in Idaho Springs, where he was harassing people in the parking lot before he hit a parked vehicle.
Authorities said they knew who the suspect was, and as deputies headed to Family's home, they spotted him heading east on Dumont Road. A deputy and an Idaho Springs police officer stopped him and told Family to exit the vehicle. They said he refused and threw it in reverse, knocking over the officer as he drove backward to escape.
Officials said the officer was taken to a hospital for treatment of a large laceration on her leg, but is expected to fully recover.
Family drove east on Dumont Road and headed east along Interstate 70, and a Clear Creek deputy soon located him driving in the right lane. When the deputy moved to try and stop him, officials said Family veered to the left, pushing the patrol vehicle into the center barrier and disabling it. The sergeant driving the patrol vehicle was not injured.
Authorities issued a shelter-in-place order for residences and businesses on Silver Lake Dr. in the Lawson and Dumont area around 3 p.m.
Fifteen minutes later, the Family's vehicle struck stop sticks placed near Dumont Road and Stanley Road and crashed near the vacant church by Charlie's Place. Authorities said Family ran from the scene, but was caught shortly after. They said he spat in the face of a Clear Creek detective while being placed under arrest.
Authorities said he is facing numerous charges, including first-degree assault on a peace officer, second-degree assault on a peace officer, resisting arrest, felony menacing, felony vehicular eluding, reckless driving, reckless endangerment, driving under the influence and accident involving damage (hit and run).
