Colorado officers arrest man in stolen vehicle with meth, fentanyl after pursuit into Rocky Mountain National Park

Officers were able to arrest a suspect who was found driving a stolen vehicle with drugs inside after driving erratically without headlights. Damien Martinez was arrested after allegedly swerving and passing in no-passing zones on Thursday night in the area of U.S. 36 heading toward Estes Park. 

Dispatch received multiple reports of the GMC Yukon driving erratically without its headlights on just after 6 p.m. Thursday. An Estes Park Police officer and a Larimer County Sheriff's deputy spotted the vehicle just outside of town and tried to stop the vehicle. 

The officers said Martinez, 21, refused to pull over and that's when officers started a pursuit. They continued following the vehicle into Rocky Mountain National Park where rangers assisted in the pursuit. Deputies were able to conduct a precision immobilization technique or PIT maneuver and Martinez was taken into custody. 

Officers said that during a search of the vehicle, which was determined to be stolen, they found suspected narcotics including methamphetamine and fentanyl. 

"This is an excellent example of town, county and federal law enforcement cooperating together. I am grateful for the actions these officers took to safely apprehend the suspect," said Estes Park Interim Police Chief Ian Stewart.

Martinez is facing several charges including motor vehicle theft, vehicular eluding, unlawful possession of a Schedule I/II drug- methamphetamine, unlawful possession of fentanyl, reckless driving, driving when license under restraint and driving while under the influence of drugs.