EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. —
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office (EPSO) arrested two suspects following an intense investigation and pursuit of a stolen vehicle on September 6.
At just before 10 a.m., EPSO’s FLOCK Safety camera system detected a stolen 2007 silver Jeep Liberty in the Stratmoor Valley area of unincorporated El Paso County. Despite an initial search, deputies were unable to locate the vehicle until a second alert at 11:45 a.m. tracked the Jeep near Maxwell Street and Highway 85.
Officers with the Fountain Police Department (FPD) soon spotted the Jeep containing a man and a woman. The male driver was identified as 29-year-old Arturo Velasquez, who was already flagged on a “Be on the Lookout” (BOLO) notice as armed, dangerous, and linked to parole and gang-member alerts. The female passenger was identified as 34-year-old Ariana Valverde.
As the Jeep stopped at a gas station located at Highway 85 and Glenarm Road, EPSO and FPD officers coordinated a vehicle blockade to prevent the suspects from fleeing. In a failed escape attempt, the Jeep reversed into an FPD vehicle before crashing into an EPSO squad car equipped with a Tactical Vehicle Intervention bumper, successfully stopping the Jeep.
Both Velasquez and Valverde were taken into custody. A search of the vehicle uncovered 32.4 grams of methamphetamine.
Charges for Velasquez include:
Motor Vehicle Theft
Attempted Second-Degree Assault on a Peace Officer
Attempted Felony Eluding
Resisting Arrest
Possession of a Controlled Substance
Criminal Mischief
Velasquez is currently held on a $3,000 bond.
Valverde faces charges for:
Motor Vehicle Theft
Driving Under the Influence of Drugs
Resisting Arrest
She is also held on a $3,000 bond.
