PARK COUNTY, Colo. — A man was arrested Monday after allegedly stealing a Park County Sheriff's Office patrol vehicle and responding to a call in Teller County before leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase, according to the sheriff's office.
Overnight, the Park County Sheriff's Lake George substation was burglarized, and a marked patrol vehicle was stolen. Around 3:30 a.m., someone drove the patrol vehicle to a scene in Teller County after hearing a call that had been broadcast over the police radio system, according to the Park County Sheriff's Office.
Teller County deputies saw the Park County patrol vehicle coming down the driveway towards them and ordered the driver to stop. Instead, the driver took off at a high rate of speed, according to the Park County Sheriff's Office.
Around 5:30 a.m., the patrol vehicle was spotted driving westbound on Highway 24. Both Teller and Park County deputies pursued the driver.
The driver of the stolen patrol vehicle reached speeds over 110 mph and committed numerous traffic violations, according to the Park County Sheriff's Office. The suspect eventually crashed on Matakat Road around milemarker 4 and ran off into the woods.
Deputies found the suspect, who had a knife and was non-compliant, the Parker County Sheriff's Office said. A Taser was deployed during the confrontation, and one deputy fired at least one shot, the sheriff's office continued.
The suspect was taken into custody and transported to a local hospital with self-inflicted knife wounds, according to the sheriff's office. No deputies were injured.
The suspect, identified as 33-year-old Jeremiah James Taylor, is currently charged with:
- Aggravated motor vehicle theft
- Vehicular eluding
- Impersonating a peace officer
- Obstruction
- Resisting arrest
- Reckless endangerment
- Second-degree burglary
- Reckless driving
Taylor is currently on probation for menacing, theft and driving under the influence, according to the sheriff's office. He is also under investigation for crimes committed in the area just before the incident.
“The Lake George substation is now secure and the investigation is underway. We are glad no one was injured and appreciate Teller County bringing this suspect in,” Park County Sheriff Tom McGraw said in a press release.
The First Judicial District Attorney's Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) is investigating the shooting.
