Flames Shoot From Building In Adams County After Chase, Arson Suspected
ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - Two different structures were on fire in a residential location in Adams County on Tuesday morning. Deputies saw the smoke and rushed to the property.
Copter4 video at 9 a.m. showed smoke coming from both structures on the 3600 block of 156th Avenue. One building appeared to be a home and the other some type of large garage next to it. One of the buildings had heavy flames coming from it.
When they arrived, deputies saw a vehicle leaving the property and assumed it was the arson suspect, an adult male. That's when the pursuit began. It lasted several minutes and continued for several miles, into Dacono and Fort Lupton, then eventually back at the property where the fire was burning.
Deputies believe he intentionally started the fire. Two brothers building a home next door witnessed the scene unfold.
"We didn't know what was going down and then all of a sudden we saw that that first house was on fire," said Mike Coon.
Coon watched as the suspect flee in a blue sedan with Adams County Sheriff's deputies in pursuit.
"The pursuit lasted for several minutes and went several miles in fact it went up into Dacono and East into Fort Lupton," said Sgt. Paul Gregory, Public Information Officer for the Adams County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies did deflate the tires on the suspect's sedan, but the suspect kept driving and to the surprise of many, led police back to the home where he drove through an adjacent garage, just missing firefighters working to save the home.
"It was a little bit scary when he came back down and went into that house, I mean we were just very thankful that nobody got hurt because he went through where there must have been I would guess 6 to 10 firemen in that house and they went scrambling," said Coon.
The suspect refused to exit the burning garage and deputies saw him with a rifle and heard shots fired. The suspect eventually walked out of the burning garage and surrendered to deputies.
Deputies believe the suspect started the second fire which quickly took over the garage. The brothers say they could hear officers shouting commands.
"We definitely heard, ya know, yelling by the police to put his hands up," Coon continued, "I did see that he came out, his hands were up. He sat down at one point and police officers obviously arrested him at that point."
Gregory said that the arson and chase is presumed to be connected to a family disturbance and possibly an eviction.
So far it's not clear if anyone was hurt in the fire or chase. The burning garage is connected to an adjoining business called Mountain View Service.
Investigators have yet to release suspect information as well as any related charges he might face.
Deputies closed 156th Avenue at Colorado Boulevard for a time Tuesday morning as part of their investigation.
