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Friends Come To Court To Support Suspect In Wild Police Chase

CASTLE ROCK, Colo. (CBS4) - The man police say led them on a chase that covered 75 miles across the Denver metro area made his his first court appearance in the case on Friday morning.

Ryan Stone, 28, is expected to face a slew of charges that will include motor vehicle theft for allegedly stealing three vehicles, including two carjackings in the midst of the chase. He is also expected to face kidnapping charges because the first car he allegedly stole, at a Longmont gas station, had a 4-year-old boy inside. The boy was not hurt during the crime.

Wild Car Chase In Denver Metro Area On March 12, 2014
An image from Copter4 as the suspect runs away after the final car crash during the chase on March 12, 2014. (credit: CBS)

In addition, Stone will likely face an attempted murder charge because one of the stolen cars being driven during the chase struck and seriously injured a Colorado State Trooper who was attempting to put down stop sticks on the highway.

Trooper Bellaman Hee is still recovering from injuries to the lower part of his body.

Trooper Bellaman Hee (credit: Colorado State Patrol) Trooper Bellaman Hee (credit: Colorado State Patrol)

No formal charges have been filed yet as investigators from the multiple counties where the chase took place continue to piece together their case. Those will be filed before next Wednesday.

Stone waived the reading of the tentative charges in Douglas County Court Friday. He is being held on a $3.5 million bond.

"The bond conditions are pretty standard bond conditions, but also include, of course, no driving," said Douglas County Assistant District Attorney Mark Hurlbert.

Some of Stone's friends came to the courthouse in Castle Rock on Friday to support him.

"He's like a son to me and he always will be," said Laurie Hernandez.

Jason Hernandez described him as a "brother" and said Stone should be forgiven for making a terrible mistake.

"No matter what the circumstances, we live in light and love and we all deserve forgiveness and I hope that everybody can take something from that," he said.

CBS4's Rick Sallinger reported that Stone has spent four years in prison on a drug conviction and was released last October. Friends told Sallinger that during that time Stone was addicted to drugs and wasn't given adequate treatment.

Prior to Wednesday's chase Stone had been under surveillance by the Arapahoe County Impact Team as part of a drug investigation, Sallinger reported.

Stone's Centennial home had been under surveillance by as a possible drug house. He was stopped there on Jan. 9 with $2,400 in folded cash, which was suspected drug money.

On Feb. 6 Stone's house was under surveillance again. That time when Stone was stopped he had $1,600 in folded bills, a scale, syringes and methamphetamine.

On Feb. 12 Stone was stopped for speeding in Aurora and officers found the narcotic hydrocodone and methamphetamine. A sergeant wrote that Stone "became irate, yelling, screaming and crying uncontrollably."

Stone's friends say he was determined not to go back to prison. Some of those friends believe Stone was high while the chase was going on.

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