Top Colorado News Stories 2010

Democrat%20John%20Hickenlooper%20defeated%20challengers%20Republican%20Dan%20Maes%20and%20Tom%20Tancredo%2C%20who%20ran%20on%20the%20American%20Constitition%20Party%20ticket.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Matt%20McClain%2FGetty%20Images%29%3Cbr%20%2F%3EDemocrat%20John%20Hickenlooper%20defeated%20challengers%20Republican%20Dan%20Maes%20and%20Tom%20Tancredo%2C%20who%20ran%20on%20the%20American%20Constitition%20Party%20ticket.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Matt%20McClain%2FGetty%20Images%29

The%20Fourmile%20Fire%20broke%20out%20in%20the%20foothills%20west%20of%20Boulder%20in%20early%20September%20and%20wound%20up%20destroying%20169%20homes.%20It%20wasn%26%238217%3Bt%20Colorado%26%238217%3Bs%20largest%20fire%2C%20but%20it%20was%20the%20most%20destructive%20in%20terms%20of%20property%20damage%20in%20the%20state%26%238217%3Bs%20history.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29

It%20was%20determined%20that%20a%20volunteer%20firefighter%20was%20responsible%20for%20the%20start%20of%20the%20blaze%20%28not%20the%20person%20pictured%29.%20The%2070-year-old%20had%20been%20burning%20brush%20on%20his%20property%20in%20a%20fire%20pit%20and%20a%20few%20days%20later%20the%20fire%20pit%20apparently%20reignited%20because%20it%20wasn%26%238217%3Bt%20fully%20extinguished.%20No%20charges%20were%20filed%20by%20the%20Boulder%20County%20District%20Attorney.%20%28credit%3A%20RJ%20Sangosti-Pool%2FGetty%20Images%29

On%20Feb.%2023%20two%20students%20were%20shot%20and%20injured%20outside%20Deer%20Creek%20Middle%20School.%20Teachers%20tackled%20and%20restrained%20the%20gunman%2C%20Bruco%20Eastwood%2C%2032%2C%20who%20apparently%20had%20been%20struggling%20with%20mental%20illness%20and%20was%20a%20former%20student%20of%20the%20school.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29

Three%20hockey%20players%20died%20from%20meningococcal%20sepsis%20after%20contracting%20it%20at%20a%20rink%20in%20Fort%20Collins.%20Two%20died%20in%20June%20and%20another%20died%20four%20months%20later.%20A%20Colorado%20State%20University%20student%20also%20died%20from%20sepsis%20in%20October%20and%20a%20CSU%20student%20was%20hospitalized%20with%20it%20in%20December.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29

Tiffany%20and%20David%20Hartley%20%28photo%20credit%3A%20the%20Hartley%20family%29

Mayor%20John%20Hickenlooper%20asked%20the%20FBI%20to%20investigate%20a%20case%20that%20divided%20a%20top%20law%20enforcement%20official%20and%20an%20independent%20watchdog%20over%20whether%20Denver%20officers%20caught%20on%20video%20aggressively%20subduing%20a%20man%20should%20be%20fired.%20Michael%20DeHerrera%20said%20in%20a%20lawsuit%20against%20officers%20and%20the%20police%20department%20that%20he%20was%20slammed%20to%20the%20ground%20and%20repeatedly%20beaten%20after%20screaming%20for%20help%20as%20his%20companion%20was%20forced%20to%20the%20ground%20by%20police.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29

Sen.%20Michael%20Bennet%20defeats%20Republican%20candidate%20Ken%20Buck%20in%20Colorado%26%238217%3Bs%20US%20Senate%20race.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Matt%20McClain%2FGetty%20Images%29

Kathleen%20Folden%2C%20a%20truckdriver%20from%20Montana%2C%20pleaded%20guilty%20to%20entering%20a%20museum%20in%20Loveland%20in%20October%20and%20destroying%20artwork%20denounced%20by%20critics%20as%20obscene.%20Witnesses%20said%20Folden%20screamed%20%26%238220%3BHow%20can%20you%20desecrate%20my%20lord%3F%26%238221%3B%20as%20she%20used%20a%20crowbar%20to%20smash%20a%20covering%20over%20an%20Enrique%20Chagoya%20lithograph.%20They%20say%20she%20then%20ripped%20a%20panel%20critics%20say%20showed%20Jesus%20Christ%20engaged%20in%20a%20sex%20act.%20%28credit%3A%20Larimer%20County%20Sheriff%29

Gary%20Faulkner%20from%20Greeley%20was%20detained%20in%20the%20mountains%20of%20Pakistan%20in%20June%20after%20authorities%20found%20him%20carrying%20a%20sword%2C%20pistol%20and%20night-vision%20goggles%20on%20a%20solo%20mission%20to%20hunt%20down%20and%20kill%20Osama%20bin%20Laden.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29

On%20April%2020%20Colorado%20Rockies%20President%20Keli%20McGregor%20was%20found%20dead%20in%20a%20downtown%20Salt%20Lake%20City%20hotel%20room.%20McGregor%20died%20of%20natural%20causes.%20He%20was%2048%2C%20and%20left%20behind%20a%20wife%20and%20four%20children.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29%20%20

On%20March%2011%20Willie%20Clark%20was%20found%20guilty%20on%2021%20counts%20for%20his%20role%20in%20the%20murder%20of%20Broncos%20cornerback%20Darrent%20Williams.%20Clark%20received%20life%20in%20prison%20plus%201%2C152%20years.%20Williams%20was%20killed%20on%20New%20Year%E2%80%99s%20Day%202007.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29

Brandon%20Darnell%20Smith%20was%20suspected%20of%20mangling%20a%20shopper%26%238217%3Bs%20finger%20while%20stealing%20a%20brand-new%20iPad%20at%20Cherry%20Creek%20Mall%20in%20April.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29

In%20February%20in%20north%20Boulder%20a%20small%20plane%20clipped%20the%20towline%20of%20another%20plane%20pulling%20a%20glider%2C%20sparking%20a%20fiery%20midair%20crash%20and%20killing%20three%20people.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29

Colorado%20State%20Trooper%20David%20Dolan%20was%20arrested%20in%20March%20on%20suspicion%20of%20DUI.%20He%20had%20been%20with%20the%20CSP%20for%2021%20years.%20Drivers%20called%20to%20report%20the%20trooper%20driving%20erratically%20in%20his%20patrol%20car%20sourth%20of%20Denver.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29

The%20Denver%20Broncos%20draft%20quarterback%20Tim%20Tebow%20and%20quickly%20his%20No.%2015%20jersey%20becomes%20the%20No.%201%20seller%20in%20the%20league.%20Tebow%26%238217%3Bs%20role%20is%20mostly%20on%20the%20bench%20during%20the%20first%2014%20games%20of%20the%20Broncos%20dismal%20losing%20season%2C%20but%20in%20the%20end%20he%20becomes%20the%20starter.%20%28Photo%20by%20Jamie%20Squire%2FGetty%20Images%29

A%20train%20at%20Tiny%20Town%20derailed%20on%20Aug.%2011%20and%20sent%20three%20people%20to%20the%20hospital.%20Most%20other%20adults%20and%20children%20on%20the%20train%20suffered%20bumps%20and%20bruises.%20The%20Colorado%20Department%20of%20Labor%20and%20Employment%20said%20the%20volunteer%20engineer%20was%20driving%20between%2012%20and%2017%20mph%2C%20as%20much%20as%20five%20times%20the%20normal%20speed%20limit%2C%20when%20a%20train%20car%20went%20off%20the%20track.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29

After%20being%20considered%20missing%20for%20two%20months%20and%20after%20numerous%20extensive%20searches%2C%20the%20body%20of%20Kayleah%20Wilson%2C%2012%2C%20was%20found%20in%20a%20ditch%20in%20Greeley.%20Following%20her%20death%2C%20Robert%20Laurencio%20Montoya%2C%2018%2C%20Kayleah%E2%80%99s%20boyfriend%2C%20was%20arrested%20%20on%20charges%20of%20sexual%20assault%20on%20a%20child%20after%20he%20admitted%20to%20Kayleah%E2%80%99s%20mother%20that%20they%20had%20sex.%20No%20one%20has%20been%20arrested%20on%20murder%20charges%20in%20the%20death.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29

Denver%20Nuggets%20coach%20George%20Karl%20announced%20in%20February%20he%20was%20taking%20a%20leave%20of%20absence%20from%20the%20team%20because%20he%20was%20diagnosed%20with%20throat%20cancer.%20He%20began%20coaching%20the%20team%20again%20in%20the%20fall.%20%28credit%3A%20Garrett%20W.%20Ellwood%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

Frontier%20Airline%26%238217%3Bs%20new%20owner%20Republic%20Airways%20announced%20it%20would%20keep%20the%20Frontier%20brand%20name%20after%20the%20company%20also%20bought%20Midwest%20Airlines%20and%20merged%20the%20two.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29

Gov.%20Bill%20Ritter%20and%20cycling%20icon%20Lance%20Armstrong%20proudly%20announced%20in%20August%20that%20a%20international%20pro%20cycling%20stage%20race%20would%20return%20to%20Colorado%20in%20the%20summer%20of%202011.%20The%20Quiznos%20Pro%20Challenge%20will%20span%20seven%20days%20in%20August%20and%20will%2C%20for%20many%20Colorado%20natives%20and%20cycling%20fans%2C%20stir%20memories%20of%20the%20Coors%20Classic.%20%28credit%3A%20Jack%20Dempsey%2C%20AP%20Images%20for%20Quiznos%29

In%20May%20an%20employee%20at%20a%20Boulder%20flooring%20and%20fireplace%20store%20%26%238212%3B%2050-year-old%20Robert%20Montgomery%20%26%238212%3B%20killed%20store%20owners%20Staci%20and%20Sean%20Griffin%2C%20shooting%20them%20several%20times%20before%20shooting%20himself%20in%20the%20head.%20Police%20said%20the%20shooter%20was%20upset%20that%20his%20bonus%20check%20was%20%24500%20less%20than%20he%20expected.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29

Actor%20Charlie%20Sheen%20was%20charged%20in%20a%20domestic%20dispute%20case%20that%20stemmed%20from%20an%20alleged%20incident%20that%20happened%20in%20Aspen%20in%20December%202009.%20Sheen%20was%20accused%20of%20holding%20a%20knife%20to%20his%20wife%26%238217%3Bs%20throat%20and%20threatening%20to%20kill%20her%20at%20his%20Aspen%20home.%20Prosecutors%20charged%20TV%26%238217%3Bs%20%26%238220%3BTwo%20and%20a%20Half%20Men%26%238221%3B%20star%20with%20felony%20menacing%20and%20misdemeanor%20charges%20of%20third-degree%20assault%20and%20criminal%20mischief.%20%28credit%3A%20Riccardo%20S.%20Savi%2FGetty%20Images%29

On%20Nov.%2023%20Weld%20County%20sheriff%E2%80%99s%20deputy%20Sam%20Brownlee%20died%20after%20a%20shootout%20with%20a%20suspected%20car%20thief.%20Reuben%20Reyes%20was%20able%20to%20take%20Brownlee%E2%80%99s%20gun%20and%20shot%20him%20three%20times.%20Other%20officers%20then%20shot%20Reyes%2C%20he%20also%20died.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29

Gov.%20Bill%20Ritter%20was%20hospitalized%20after%20being%20injured%20in%20an%20early%20morning%20bike%20accident%20in%20March.%20Ritter%26%238217%3Bs%20tire%20bumped%20the%20tire%20of%20the%20cyclist%20in%20front%20of%20him%20and%20they%20both%20went%20down.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29

Jamie%20Paulin-Ramirez%20of%20Leadville%20was%20among%20seven%20people%20arrested%20in%20Ireland%20in%20March%20as%20authorities%20investigated%20an%20alleged%20plot%20to%20kill%20the%20cartoonist%20over%20a%202007%20sketch%20depicting%20the%20head%20of%20the%20Muslim%20prophet%20Mohammed%20on%20a%20dog%26%238217%3Bs%20body.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29

%28credit%3A%20Chris%20Hondros%2FGetty%20Images%29

Kristin%20and%20Candace%20Hermeler%2C%2029-year-old%20twins%20from%20Australia%2C%20attempted%20a%20dual%20suicide%20at%20the%20Family%20Shooting%20Center%20inside%20Cherry%20Creek%20State%20Park%20in%20November.%20Kristin%20died%20from%20a%20self-inflicted%20gunshot%20wound%2C%20Candace%20survived.%20A%20magazine%20from%20the%201999%20Columbine%20High%20School%20shootings%20was%20found%20in%20their%20hotel%20room.%20They%20had%20expressed%20empathy%20for%20the%20Columbine%20shooters%20who%20were%20bullied%20as%20the%20girls%20said%20they%20were%20bullied%20themselves.

Broncos%20veteram%20D.J.%20Williams%20was%20arrested%20on%20drunk%20driving%20charges%20in%20November%20and%20rookie%20cornerback%20Perrish%20Cox%20was%20arrested%20on%20sex%20assault%20charges%20in%20December.

Francis%20Hernandez%20went%20to%20trial%20for%20vehicular%20homicide%20and%20child%20abuse%20resulting%20in%20death.%20Police%20said%20in%20September%20of%202008%20Hernandez%20ran%20a%20red%20light%20near%20Havana%20and%20Mississippi.%20He%20hit%20a%20pickup%20making%20a%20turn%20into%20a%20parking%20lot%20and%20killed%20two%20women%20in%20the%20truck.%20The%20impact%20sent%20the%20truck%20into%20an%20ice%20cream%20shop%20and%20killed%20a%203-year-old%20boy.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29

Former%20hospital%20scrub%20technician%20Kristen%20Parker%20was%20sentenced%20to%2030%20years%20in%20prison.%20She%20pleaded%20guilty%20to%20stealing%20drugs%2C%20injecting%20herself%20and%20then%20using%20the%20dirty%20needles%20on%20patients.%20Parker%20infected%20bout%2035%20people%20with%20Hepatitis%20C.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29

The%20Big%20Thompson%20River%20in%20Estes%20Park%20flooded%20in%20June.%20Some%20500%20sandbags%20were%20handed%20out%20to%20hold%20back%20the%20rising%20river.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29

Timothy%20Masters%20received%20%2410%20million%20in%20settlements%20from%20the%20city%20of%20Fort%20Collins%20and%20Larimer%20County%20for%20being%20wrongly%20imprisoned.%20%20He%20was%20released%20in%202008%20after%20DNA%20evidence%20proved%20he%20was%20wrongly%20convicted%20in%20the%201987murder%20of%20Peggy%20Hetrick.%20Masters%20spent%2010%20years%20behind%20bars%20before%20his%20release.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29

Josh%20McDaniels%20%28File%20photo%20by%20Doug%20Pensinger%2FGetty%20Images%29

The%20Reservoir%20Road%20Fire%20burned%20two%20homes%20west%20of%20Fort%20Collins%20and%20forced%20evacuations%20of%20many%20residents%20near%20Horsetooth%20Reservoir.%20A%20homeowner%20who%20had%20been%20burning%20brush%20on%20his%20property%20was%20charged%20with%20starting%20the%20blaze.%20%28credit%3A%20Tammy%20Burke%29

The%20headquarters%20of%20the%20Sheepskin%20Factory%20in%20Glendale%20were%20destroyed%20Friday%20in%20an%20early%20morning%20fire.%20Investigators%20believe%20the%20fire%20is%20suspicious%20and%20are%20searching%20for%20suspects.%20Walter%20Bond%2C%20aka%20%26%238220%3BLone%20Wolf%2C%26%238221%3B%20was%20later%20charged%20with%20starting%20the%20fire.%20He%26%238217%3Bs%20said%20to%20be%20tied%20with%20animal%20rights%20groups.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29

Abby%20Toll%2C%20the%20woman%20who%20was%20accused%20of%20taping%20her%20boyfriend%26%238217%3Bs%20dog%20to%20a%20refrigerator%20was%20sentenced%20to%2030%20days%20in%20jail%20and%20three%20years%20on%20probation.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29

Kara%20Lounsbury%20was%20charged%20with%20two%20counts%20of%20first-degree%20murder.%20Investigators%20say%20she%20killed%20her%20father%20and%20step-mother%20in%20January%20of%202010%20at%20their%20home%20in%20rural%20Adams%20County.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29

Kiowa%20high%20school%20teacher%20Randy%20Wilson%26%238217%3Bs%20body%20was%20found%20along%20the%20Arapahoe-Elbert%20county%20border.%20It%20appeared%20as%20though%20he%26%238217%3Bd%20been%20strangled.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29

Police%20say%20a%2030-year-old%20man%20who%20tried%20to%20run%20down%20an%20officer%20in%20Platteville%20was%20shot%20and%20killed%20by%20that%20officer.%20There%20was%20a%20confrontation%20between%20the%20suspect%2C%20Matt%20Herrera%2C%20and%20the%20officer.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29

Rex%20Fowler%2C%20the%20owner%20of%20a%20software%20company%20in%20Adams%20County%2C%20was%20charged%20with%20murdering%20his%20former%20business%20partner%20Thomas%20Ciancio%20at%20Fowler%20Software%20Design%20in%20Adams%20County%20on%20Dec.%2030.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29

Police%20believe%20they%20killed%20a%20Colorado%20man%20wanted%20in%20connection%20with%20a%20suspected%20kidnapping.%20Dennis%20Cox%2C%2050%2C%20was%20shot%20and%20killed%20in%20a%20shootout%20with%20police%20at%20a%20bus%20station%20in%20Fort%20Collins.%20Kidnapping%20victim%20Julie%20Ann%20Kilgore%2C%2048%2C%20said%20her%20Cox%2C%20her%20ex-fiancee%20had%20a%20%26%238220%3Bvacant%20look%26%238221%3B%20when%20he%20came%20to%20her%20home%20with%20a%20handgun.%20The%20couple%20had%20argued%20the%20previous%20weekend.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29

Three%20people%20died%20in%20a%20small%20plane%20crash%20in%20Gilpin%20County%20on%20Rollins%20Pass.%20The%20victims%20were%20identified%20as%20pilot%20John%20Howard%2C%2070%2C%20and%20Catherine%20Heveran%2C%2056%2C%20both%20of%20Sunnyvale%2C%20Calif.%3B%20and%20James%20Chatham%2C%2025%2C%20of%20Spokane%2C%20Wash.%2C%20a%20friend%20of%20Heveran%26%238217%3Bs%20daughter.%20%28credit%3A%20CBS%29