Man leaps into rushing Poudre River to avoid arrest, leading to 6-hour river standoff with Fort Collins SWAT
A man in Fort Collins avoided arrest for more than six hours after trapping himself in the middle of the Poudre River, according to Fort Collins Police Services. Michael Cortez, 31, was eventually arrested Thursday night with the assistance of a K9.
According to FCPS, officers were patrolling an area known for drug use when they spotted Cortez. Cortez had seven warrants for his arrest, four of which were felony warrants. They said Cortez noticed them and got into a vehicle as a passenger and left the area.
Police then attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle and that'ss when Cortez allegedly got out of the vehicle with a backpack and ran away.
Officers reported that Cortez leaped into the Poudre River and started floating down stream toward the east. At times he was seen standing in shallow portions in order to walk toward other areas where he could float again.
FCPS said they saw Cortez lose control of the backpack he was carrying. When they opened the backpack they found 35 grams of methemphetamine.
FCPS said they eventually surrounded Cortez in a portion of the river in which he could stand in waist-deep water.
Poudre Fire Authority responded to assist the police in reaching Cortez, using ropes to throw his direction. However, he allegedly kept throwing the ropes away from himself.
Officers did not feel safe entering the water themselves. Eventually Cortez exited the water as temperatures dipped and the sun went down.
A K9 assisted in the arrest after six hours of Cortez being in the River.
On top of his warrants Cortez was also charged with felony distribution of a controlled substance, resisting arrest, obstructing a peace officer and failure to leave a premise.
