YOUR AD HERE »

Alleged Avon stabber moved to valley in April; Andrew Young Jr.’s bond set at $2 million in attempted murder case

Andrew Young's bond was set at $2 million during a hearing Monday morning. Young, 18, is charged with attempted murder in connection with an early morning attack in Avon.
Randy Wyrick|randy@vaildaily.com

EAGLE — It will cost a man who allegedly stabbed a jogger in Avon $2 million to bond out of jail.

In a Monday morning, June 18, hearing, Andrew Young Jr.’s bond was set at $2 million, four times the $500,000 his defense attorney Public Defender Thea Reiff requested but exactly what District Attorney Bruce Brown requested.

“We, at this point, believe the case against the defendant is very strong,” Brown said.



Why $2 million bond

Support Local Journalism



Young, 18, is charged with trying to murder an Avon woman out for an early-morning jog.

“This case is unlike most cases we see,” District Court Judge Russell Granger said in setting the $2 million bond. “I do not recall many cases with this level of violence and this level of threat to the community.”

In setting what may be a record high bond in a local court, Granger said the court must consider community safety, the victim’s financial resources, the violence of the offense and the evidence.

“It’s concerning that there does not seem to be a connection to this victim. Usually, a violent act is toward a specific individual. In this case, it does not appear to be directed toward any individual. This is directed at random members of the community. That raises the threat to the community. That is concerning to the court,” Granger said.

If released on bond, then Young would flee this jurisdiction, Brown said.

Young’s father owns a business in New Jersey related to an online retailer and referred to himself as a millionaire, Brown said in asking for the high bond. If Young posts bond, then Granger ordered electronic home monitoring.

Brown said Young admitted in a recorded jail phone call that he was the sole participant in the attack.

“The clothing match, the admission … there is, at this early stage, significant evidence connecting him to his crime,” Granger said.

Granger ordered electronic home monitoring if Young manages to post bond. He was on probation from New Jersey for assault and marijuana, Brown said. The New Jersey case was a deferred sentence and unsupervised probation, Reiff said.

“I have never seen as many letters from community members regarding community safety, as well as the victim’s welfare,” Brown said.

Moved here in mid-April

Young moved to the Vail Valley in mid-April and had lived in a Liftview apartment with his mother for two days when he allegedly ambushed and stabbed an Avon woman four times. The apartment was a quarter mile away from the site of the alleged attack.

The woman was out for a morning jog around 6:26 a.m. She saw Young and continued her run. When he got to within an arm’s length, he allegedly stabbed her four times, including in her head, Brown said. It was initially reported to be five stab wounds, but one went completely through her and out the other side, Avon Police Chief Greg Daly said.

After Young allegedly attacked her, he fled the scene, Brown said.

His mother took him to a local doctor with knife wounds to his hands. That doctor immediately alerted police because the doctor had been informed about the assault, Brown said.

“His mother indicated that he returned to the apartment at about the time the attack occurred,” Brown said.

Young is back in court before Granger at 9 a.m. Monday, July 9.

Staff Writer Randy Wyrick can be reached at 970-748-2935 and rwyrick@vaildaily.com.


Support Local Journalism