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High Country Crime: Police investigate burglary at Steamboat marijuana shop; cocaine and Fireball fuel 111-mph chase

A photo of the suspected burglar from a surveillance video at Steamboat's Golden Leaf dispensary.

The Steamboat Springs Police Department is investigating a burglary at one of the city’s pot shops.

Police sent out a vague news release about the burglary that occurred early Wednesday morning, Aug. 9, at Golden Leaf, 1755 Lincoln Ave.

Commander Annette Dopplick said she did not want to say what items were stolen because releasing details might prevent them from identifying the culprit.



Police released two photos from video surveillance at the pot shop.

One shows a man in a dark jacket with a hood next to a window at the front of the building, and it appears he is about to break a window.

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The other photo is infrared, and it appears the man is reaching through a broken window.

A list of police calls from Wednesday morning does not include any alarms at Golden Leaf.

Routt County Crime Stoppers is offering a $500 reward for information leading to the identification of the suspect.

People can contact the police department directly at 970-879-1144, or they can remain anonymous and call Crime Stoppers at 970-870-6226.

Tips can be sent by text message by texting NABM, followed by the tip, to 274637. A confirmation text will then be sent.

—Matt Stensland, Steamboat Today

COCAINE AND FIREBALL FUEL 111-MPH CHASE

Garfield County deputies last Saturday deployed a spike strip on Interstate 70 near Rifle to end a high-speed chase involving a red Hyundai Sonata clocked at up to 111 mph.

Gun drawn, a deputy directed the driver from the vehicle, and saw that he was “extremely unsteady on his feet,” according to an arrest report. The same was true for two male passengers in the front and back seats.

The 27-year-old driver told a deputy that he didn’t stop because he had just been in a fight in Glenwood and was trying to get home.

The man had “bloodshot, glassy, watery” eyes and appeared sleepy, the deputy reported. With slow and slurred speech, smelling of alcohol, he told the deputy that he pulled over because he thought he hit something.

Asked why the driver did not stop, the rear passenger told deputies that the driver was “extremely intoxicated and had been looking at his phone, so he didn’t know what was going on,” according to the arrest report. He also said the driver had not been in a fight that night.

In the vehicle deputies found a half-empty bottle of Fireball Whisky. They also found an uncapped 750 ml bottle of Fireball outside the passenger-side door, spilling onto the ground. In the dirt and spilled Fireball deputies also found a small bundle containing nearly 2 grams of cocaine.

The 26-year-old, who was sitting in the passenger seat, was arrested on possession of a controlled substance.

The 27-year-old driver was arrested on felony vehicular eluding, along with misdemeanors including violation of a protection order, DUI, driving under restraint for an alcohol offense and reckless driving.

—Ryan Summerlin, Glenwood Springs Post-Independent

TEXANS STEAL WEED FROM BRECKENRIDGE POT SHOP

A pair of Texans allegedly made off with a jar of marijuana at a store in Breckenridge on Aug. 1, after an apparent sleight-of-hand trick.

Police arrived at around 2 p.m., and a store clerk said two men with Texas IDs had come into the store earlier that day. The clerk said he placed five jars of marijuana on the counter while discussing transactions with the men.

The “smaller man,” described as wearing a collared shirt and red ball cap, made the first purchase, buying an eighth of an ounce of the strain Pachamama. The clerk handed him his bag and then completed the larger man’s purchase.

As the two walked away from the counter, the clerk noticed that one of the jars was missing, but he elected not to make a scene and confront the men as they departed.

Police viewed security camera footage that confirmed the clerk’s account, but there was no way to identify the suspects. There was no additional footage showing them entering a vehicle.

The case was closed due to lack of suspect information. The jar contained an eighth of an ounce of marijuana valued at $40.

—Jack Queen, Summit Daily News

3 STEAMBOAT BARS TO PAY FINES AFTER LIQUOR LICENSE VIOLATIONS

A trio of Steamboat Springs bar owners whose establishments were recently cited for liquor license violations have agreed to pay fines to avoid having to stop serving alcohol for two days later this summer.

The Cabin at the Steamboat Grand and Slopeside Grill were cited and punished for serving alcohol to underage high school students during a compliance check in March.

Twelve other businesses that were visited for the compliance checks passed and did not serve the minors.

Cantina was cited by police after an officer observed illegal gambling hosted by the bar in April.

While having dinner at the restaurant, the officer noticed bar patrons playing a game of dice.

The officer returned in plainclothes at a later date and played the dice game himself.

Police then seized the dice, a sign and the $60 pot of money from the bar as evidence.

A bartender told police the highest the pot had reached was $151.

Owners of all three of the bars that were cited admitted to the violations and agreed to settlements proposed by the city.

Instead of having their licenses suspended for two days later this summer, the bars will pay a fine equivalent to 20 percent of their liquor sales over a two-day period.

The settlements were agreed to at a 10-minute hearing on Thursday.

—Scott Franz, Steamboat Today


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