DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — A 27-year-old man was taken into custody on multiple charges including kidnapping and eluding law enforcement during a crime spree that spanned two counties and closed Interstate 25.
According to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, a Pueblo man was arrested after hitting a Colorado Springs patrol car, eluding deputies and allegedly kidnapping a woman and child. The incident closed I-25 for three hours overnight.
Timeline of the spree
At around 10:23 p.m. Tuesday, DCSO received information from the Colorado Springs Police Department that a white SUV driven by 27-year-old Eric Morales was entering Douglas County.
According to DCSO, Morales was wanted for several felony warrants and was fleeing Colorado Springs after hitting a patrol car driven by an officer who was attempting to stop him.
Morales also had a woman and a small child in his car who deputies say may have not been with him willingly
DCSO spotted the car on northbound I-25 at Happy Canyon. I-25 was closed from County Line Road to Dry Creek while deputies attempted to detain Morales.
According to deputies, Morales refused to pull over, so stop sticks were used to stop the car near County Line Road.
The woman and child were able to safely escape the vehicle, but Morales refused to exit after multiple orders to surrender. According to DCSO, Morales made several indications that he was armed.
The SWAT team arrived at the scene and began negotiating with Morales. He was eventually taken into custody hours later.
Morales is being charged with:
- Second-degree kidnaping
- Vehicular eluding
- Criminal mischief
- Violation of a protection order
- Reckless driving
- Child abuse
- Resisting arrest
- Reckless endangerment
Morales is being held without bond at the Douglas County Detention Facility.
I-25 was reopened around 2:15 a.m.