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Crystal Ann Tancredo
GLENWOOD SPRINGS — The woman arrested after what was described as a racially motivated altercation swears she is related to Colorado congressman and presidential candidate Tom Tancredo.
Crystal Ann Tancredo, 26, called the Post Independent in response to a news article about her arrest printed on Friday. Tancredo, who says she’s Tom Tancredo’s great niece, was arrested Sept. 4 outside the Burning Mountain Bowl in New Castle.
Tancredo’s press secretary, Carlos Espinosa, said Thursday that Tom Tancredo wasn’t aware of any relative by that name. On Friday, his Washington, D.C. office said it would check further, but didn’t call back.
In a phone interview, Crystal Tancredo said the New Castle Police officer who arrested her was way out of line.
“They took the illegal immigrants’ side over my side,” she said. “It felt like they had more rights than I did and it’s not fair. … I said, ‘Officer, I come from a good family, my great uncle is Tom Tancredo.’”
According to police, an officer heard loud voices and separated people he believed were about to fight in the parking lot.
Crystal Tancredo and her boyfriend said they had nothing to do with it and were leaving, but the officer wrote in an arrest affidavit that a bartender later told him he saw Tancredo pushing someone in the chest.
The officer wrote that Tancredo swore and yelled racial epithets refused to comply in various ways, jerked her hands around when he tried to handcuff her and at one point said, “I don’t have to move, my uncle is Tom Tancredo.”
Isaac Taylor, manager on duty at the Burning Mountain Bowl that night, said he pretty much saw the whole thing and that Crystal and her boyfriend will not be welcomed back. He said her claims of police misconduct are “ridiculous.”
“I think the police were acting very professional,” he said. “They separated the parties, tried to communicate and talk to every side to see what the problem was. She was just talked to until she attacked the police officer.”
Taylor said Crystal Tancredo had been drinking, but not to the point where she was completely out of control. However, she was making a scene outside in front of police.
“She was probably the most aggressive out of all of them,” Taylor said. “She was constantly pushing people. She was just yelling and screaming. I was trying to break up the fight and she was the main one I was worried about.”
Crystal Tancredo said she and her boyfriend were leaving when someone came out and threatened her boyfriend. She was just trying to push them away, she said.
Tancredo has been charged with resisting arrest, harassment and disorderly conduct.
She said she’s met Tom Tancredo, but hasn’t ever really spent time with him because he’s so busy.
“I love what he’s doing,” she said. “The laws and stuff with immigration.”
Crystal Ann Tancredo, 26, called the Post Independent in response to a news article about her arrest printed on Friday. Tancredo, who says she’s Tom Tancredo’s great niece, was arrested Sept. 4 outside the Burning Mountain Bowl in New Castle.
Tancredo’s press secretary, Carlos Espinosa, said Thursday that Tom Tancredo wasn’t aware of any relative by that name. On Friday, his Washington, D.C. office said it would check further, but didn’t call back.
In a phone interview, Crystal Tancredo said the New Castle Police officer who arrested her was way out of line.
“They took the illegal immigrants’ side over my side,” she said. “It felt like they had more rights than I did and it’s not fair. … I said, ‘Officer, I come from a good family, my great uncle is Tom Tancredo.’”
According to police, an officer heard loud voices and separated people he believed were about to fight in the parking lot.
Crystal Tancredo and her boyfriend said they had nothing to do with it and were leaving, but the officer wrote in an arrest affidavit that a bartender later told him he saw Tancredo pushing someone in the chest.
The officer wrote that Tancredo swore and yelled racial epithets refused to comply in various ways, jerked her hands around when he tried to handcuff her and at one point said, “I don’t have to move, my uncle is Tom Tancredo.”
Isaac Taylor, manager on duty at the Burning Mountain Bowl that night, said he pretty much saw the whole thing and that Crystal and her boyfriend will not be welcomed back. He said her claims of police misconduct are “ridiculous.”
“I think the police were acting very professional,” he said. “They separated the parties, tried to communicate and talk to every side to see what the problem was. She was just talked to until she attacked the police officer.”
Taylor said Crystal Tancredo had been drinking, but not to the point where she was completely out of control. However, she was making a scene outside in front of police.
“She was probably the most aggressive out of all of them,” Taylor said. “She was constantly pushing people. She was just yelling and screaming. I was trying to break up the fight and she was the main one I was worried about.”
Crystal Tancredo said she and her boyfriend were leaving when someone came out and threatened her boyfriend. She was just trying to push them away, she said.
Tancredo has been charged with resisting arrest, harassment and disorderly conduct.
She said she’s met Tom Tancredo, but hasn’t ever really spent time with him because he’s so busy.
“I love what he’s doing,” she said. “The laws and stuff with immigration.”
