DENVER (KDVR) — Police in Aurora said a driver crashed into a home on Friday night.
FOX31’s Greg Nieto went to the scene and learned the driver crashed into a bedroom of the home near Troy Street and East Seventh Avenue. The neighborhood is just northwest of Interstate 225.
Police in Aurora said a driver crashed into a home on Friday night. FOX31’s Greg Nieto went to the scene and learned the driver crashed into a bedroom of the home near Troy Street and East Seventh Avenue.
DENVER (KDVR) — Police say a juvenile was stabbed Friday afternoon at an Aurora bus stop near Hinkley High School.
The call came in just after 3 p.m., according to the Aurora Police Department. Officers responded to the bus stop near 12th Avenue and Chambers Road and found the juvenile suffering non-life-threatening injuries.
The juvenile was transported to a hospital.
Police did not release information about the victim’s age but said they were investigating whether it involved a student.
DENVER (KDVR) — Thieves have targeted a local chain of pickleball stores, and the shop owner has caught several incidents on camera.
Game-Set-Match, Inc. captured the alleged crooks on surveillance cameras as they took off with tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise at three of their stores all within days.
The owner of the pickleball store, Adam Burbary, shared his story with FOX31 to warn others.
Burbary sells a hot commodity, paddles for pickleball. It’s a sport that has exploded in popularity over the last few years.
“It’s captured a whole group of people who maybe were on the sidelines,” said Burbary.
Pickleball racquets can range anywhere from $60 to $300, which is why a recent string of thefts at Burbary’s stores has left them out of at least $30,000.
On Feb. 12, surveillance video from his store in Centennial shows what appears to be a couple of women grabbing paddles and stashing them under their clothes.
“Their outfits hide equipment, paddles. You know, paddles aren’t that big,” said Burbary.
Two days later, Burbary said his store in Denver was also hit. During that theft, it appeared a man and a woman were working together to snatch the racquets.
Then, on Feb. 16 at Burbary’s store in Boulder, at least one woman can be clearly seen on camera placing paddles under her large scarf.
“We kind of finally put all the pieces together. It was an organized setup from the group,” Burbary said.
Burbary hopes other store owners can learn from what happened to his shops. He also has a message for the alleged crooks.
“I’d like to try to catch these people, but I also want them to know that we are not a target anymore,” said Burbary.
Burbary said he is working with the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, as well as the Denver and Boulder police departments in hopes of finding the thieves.
Lawmakers take aim at oil and gas in effort to curb ozone
DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado lawmakers rolled out new bills on Thursday with the goal of reducing pollution in the state, but business chambers and oil and gas companies are already pushing back, fearing businesses would be harmed if the measures become law.
Lawmakers and community members say something needs to be done now to improve Colorado’s air for the next generation. Oil and gas companies are already making a stink about the new solutions they put forward.
“After years of inaction and dismissals to our calls for action, our community is ready for a win,” said Guadalupe Solis of Cultivando, an organization focused on health equity.
Three new bills unveiled at the Capitol during a Thursday news conference are geared toward reducing emissions and improving the environment.
“These bills work together, all of them, to shore up loopholes, enforce existing regulations and address minor, sometimes overlooked sources contributing to our ozone problem,” said state Sen. Lisa Cutter, a sponsor of several of the new measures.
FILE – In this May 27, 2016, file photo, a pump jack works near Firestone, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
Colorado pollution bills focus on oil and gas, construction, fines
Senate Bill 24-165 would require a pause on oil and gas production in Colorado during ozone season in the summer months. It also enforces the governor’s call for state agencies to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 50% by the year 2030.
Senate Bill 24-166 would increase the maximum fines local governments could impose for repeat violators of the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division’s regulations.
House Bill 24-1330 would require individual sources of pollution to be treated as one source of pollution on the construction permit for companies that may have several projects going on at once.
“We are going to require that before you dig, you need to know and demonstrate that the impact you will have to air will not be in exceedance in what is allowed federally,” House Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon said.
The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, the Colorado Chamber of Commerce and oil and gas leaders — like the Colorado Oil and Gas Association and American Petroleum Institute Colorado — are already pushing back. They acknowledge the need for clean air but say the new bills attack their companies.
“We have been working at this for years. We have been a part of dozens of rulemakings, examining every part of our industry to bring down our emissions, to make us cleaner, better and safer,” said Dan Haley, president and CEO of the Colorado Oil and Gas Association. “We will continue to do that and come to the table. But right now, when you have somebody who is trying to ban this industry, we are going to fight that.”
Oil and gas leaders said they expect to see other bills impacting their industry this session. They say they plan to fight all of them.
DENVER (KDVR) — Jefferson County deputies are looking to identify a robbery suspect who was caught on camera pulling out a handgun and threatening a gas station clerk.
On Feb. 17, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to an Exxon gas station at 18561 U.S. 40 in Golden on reports of a robbery.
Deputies said the suspect walked into the gas station, went up to the counter and asked for cigarettes.
Video surveillance shows the cashier turning his back to grab the cigarettes. As he does, the suspect can be seen pulling out a black handgun and pointing it at the cashier.
According to deputies, the suspect told the cashier to give him the money and said he did not want to hurt anyone.
The suspect then fled from the gas station.
“The suspect’s footprints lead to vehicle tracks, indicating the vehicle may have been a “dually” pickup truck,” said the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
Anyone with information on the suspect or the robbery is asked to call the sheriff’s office tip line at 303-271-5612 or email jcsocrimetips@jeffco.us.
DENVER (KDVR) — Technology is making it easier for scammers to trick rideshare drivers who use apps to verify passengers.
Caine Hager told the Problem Solvers he enjoys providing transportation for those who don’t own vehicles or need the convenience of rideshare services.
“I love getting the interaction of the customers,” Hager told FOX31.
Hager said after dropping off customers at Denver International Airport, he got a strange request on his Lyft app. Someone wanted to be picked up on one side of the airport and be dropped off on the other side.
“It’s not normal, but I thought maybe it’s just a client that needs to go from the west side to the east side, and I can help them out,” he said.
Before Hager could reach the passenger, he received a request to call the woman, so he did. But a man answered the call instead.
“They said, this is the Lyft support team, from your last client, you just got a bad review, and it said that your profile did not match the look of the driver and we’re suspending your account,” he said.
Hager knew his picture matched, so he waited for verification.
“I literally sat on hold for 25 minutes not receiving any rides, which was odd to me,” he said.
The scammer then said Hager’s verification checked out, so to make up for the delay, the company would provide compensation. To receive the funds, Hager had to go through another process to get back on the road and continue earning money.
“When you click accept on the express pay, that money goes directly to their card from your account,” he said.
Hager lost a total of $500.
Lyft scammers ‘scare-tactic you’
“That’s the trick. They scare-tactic you to be able to scare you and make you think differently,” Hager said.
Lyft investigated the case as soon as it was reported.
Hager told FOX31 he’s coming forward to warn other rideshare drivers.
“I think it’s so messed up that there are people out there that don’t really care about taking somebody’s income,” he said.
Lyft told the Problem Solvers that Hager’s account has been secured and his money reimbursed. Lyft also permanently removed the scammer’s account from the app.
Lyft encourages drivers to report suspicious activity immediately and never share personal information and security codes with any unknown person.
DENVER (KDVR) — FOX31 got a look inside the Ralph L. Carr Colorado Judicial Center following a break-in that caused millions of dollars worth of damage.
In early January, a suspect reportedly shot at the first-floor windows and broke into the Colorado Supreme Court building. The suspect then held a security guard at gunpoint and set a fire in the stairwell, according to Denver police.
The fire reportedly caused the sprinkler system to go off, which ended up causing an estimated $35 million worth of damage.
Over a month later, the building is still under renovation.
Inside the Judicial Center (Colorado Office of Personnel and Administration)
Inside the Judicial Center (Colorado Office of Personnel and Administration)
Inside the Judicial Center (Colorado Office of Personnel and Administration)
Most of the damage was caused by the sprinklers, which ran for two hours and left ankle-deep water in the building. The water damage ranges from the seventh floor all the way to the basement, said the Colorado Judicial Branch.
The state’s risk management funds will pay the first $1 million in damage and then multiple insurance agencies will cover the rest of the liability, according to the city.
The city doesn’t have a timeframe for how long it will take to clean up.
“It’s a huge challenge,” Cavnar told Bruce Haertl on “Colorado Sports Night.” “It’s been a whirlwind of a week, and it is not lost on me how many people have reached out. The text messages and the amount of people sharing in this news with me — starting with my family, who has been so supportive from the very beginning — I’ve tried to enjoy this moment and soak it in.”
The Colorado State alum has 17 years of experience covering baseball. For the past 12 seasons, Cavnar served as a backup play-by-play announcer, pregame and postgame host and reporter for the Colorado Rockies.
With the Rockies, she became the first woman in a quarter century to call TV play-by-play for an MLB game in 2018, and in 2015, she was the first woman to provide analysis for a National League series on radio. She also worked for the San Diego Padres broadcast team.
“When I say that it’s not going to sound ‘traditionally’ being in the booth, it does have a little bit to do with the fact that I am a female and there’s not a lot of female voices in the game of baseball calling the action,” Cavnar noted. “But the non-traditional part for me is the background I bring as a reporter and as a host. Storytelling is so much for me a part of the game and connecting fans to their favorite players. It’s what keeps them coming back all summer long.”
Great to have @jennycavnar as our Big Get tonight fresh off the announcement of her historic new gig with @Athletics !!!
“It’s the background I bring. As a reporter, as a host. Storytelling is a part of the game connecting fans to their favorite players.” pic.twitter.com/WyYNtcrN1S
Property taxes have been a hot topic of debate both in and out of the Colorado legislature.
After the 2023 assessment rates were released, many saw their property values spike, leading many to worry about whether or not they could afford their annual tax bill.
Several East Coast states appeared at the bottom of the list, including New Jersey, which WalletHub calculated to have a 2.33% effective tax rate, the highest in the country.
Even with a low effective tax rate, Coloradans still have a relatively high property tax bill, given the high median home values in the state. WalletHub calculated the median home value to be $465,900, which would make the yearly property tax bill $2,278.
Alabama, on the other hand, has a median home value of $179,400, which makes its annual tax bill $701, according to WalletHub.
New Jersey also had the highest annual tax bill at $9,345. This is despite the median home value being nearly $65,000 lower than in Colorado.
Some may notice that this effective rate differs from what you’ll find on the Colorado government website. This is because the state uses assessment values — which, for single-family homes was 6.7% of market value in 2023 — to figure out how much of a property can be taxed.
That value is then used when calculating the amount of property taxes owed.
Not every state uses this system, so WalletHub took the median real estate tax payment and divided that by the median home price in each state.
DENVER (KDVR) — A rancher in Moffat County found wolf tracks just a mile from home on Friday, all while Colorado Parks and Wildlife recently announced two collared wolves had traveled into the county.
“We found wolf tracks, and the reality is it’s about a mile from where we live,” said Jorgiea Raftopoulos, a third-generation rancher in northwest Colorado.
Raftopoulos showed pictures of the tracks and said they were heading south in the area. At first, it looked like one set, but they split into two sets before falling back in line. She believes the wolves were walking one in front of the other for a bit before splitting and then falling back into line.
“Then we saw them on the county road. They were heading up the county road,” Raftopoulos said. “When I saw the tracks, I didn’t register how big they were until I put my hands next to it.”
Wolf tracks spotted in Moffat County
She is a rancher for both cattle and sheep. She worries the sheep can fall more vulnerable, even with multiple livestock guardian dogs and sheep herders.
“We haven’t even seen how they are going to impact sheep yet,” Raftopoulos said. “Sheep are much smaller and are louder, so they are kind of a primary target of prey.”
Colorado ranchers work to spook wolves from livestock
She said since Colorado voters approved wolf reintroduction, they knew they could eventually travel up to their area. But said she didn’t realize how quickly they would get there.
“We all knew it was coming, we just didn’t know how fast,” Raftopoulos said.
Now, she said she is working with ranchers in Idaho and other states who live among wolves to learn non-lethal ways to help keep the animals away. One is adding light-up and glow-in-the-dark tags to cattle and calves to help spook the wolves.
“This has a solar charging light pack,” Raftopoulos said, showing one of the tags. “It flashes lights, then we have glow tags. The whole point is to put some fear in the wolves so they don’t attack your livestock.”
But even with the tactics, Raftopoulos said she is worried about the unknowns with the wolves, like their different hunting types compared to other predators like bears and mountain lions.
“It’s not just a bear killing one calf to eat that night or the next day,” Raftpoulos said. “They are going out and slaughtering your animals to learn how to hunt, ’cause they are an easy prey target.”
She said since spotting the tracks, she is worried about what this means for the future of her livestock but also all the additional money they will have to spend for protection, and whether they’ll be compensated by the state when eventually there is a kill by a wolf on their property.
“I think producers are really worried about the state maintaining a fund to compensate for those losses,” Raftopoulos said.
CPW sent out the following about the two wolves moving into that area:
“Recent wolf collar data shows that two wolves have made some broad movements in the last week and indicates some wolves have recently moved from western Routt County into eastern Moffat County. It’s important to remember, location points are (at most) collected every four hours and data is downloaded every 16 hours. Wolves can and do move substantial distances between the four hours that points are collected, and the terrain and weather can impact when points are received. This data gives us an informed perspective of where wolves have been, but not where they are, and certainly not where they are going.
CPW continues to work with livestock producers to provide conflict-mitigation techniques, and will continue to conduct outreach/education in areas that are likely to have wolves. In addition to working directly with our agricultural community, CPW will be sharing a monthly map on our website the public can view to see where wolves have been in the past month. This map will be updated with new information on a monthly basis, produced on the fourth Wednesday of every month, and will reflect data for the prior month, give or take several days.”
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
“There is so much fear. It’s kind of terrifying to feel like you’re almost being watched … it’s terrifying to have that feeling of these apex predators around,” Raftopoulos said.
DENVER (KDVR) — Scientists in Utah are sharing the incredible journey of one cougar who traveled more than 1,000 miles through three states in five months.
Since 2018, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources teamed up with researchers at Brigham Young University and Utah State University to collar over 60 adult cougars.
One of those cougars was a 2-year-old female designated as F66.
F66 was first captured and collared in the Wasatch Range in Utah in February 2022. According to Hinton, she remained in the area until May 30 when her amazing trek began.
F66 traveled over 1,000 miles through Utah, Wyoming and Colorado. She crossed busy highways like Interstate 80, I-25, I-70 and U.S. 40.
According to researchers, F66 was constantly on the move. She would only stop every so often to eat.
Around 220 miles into her journey, on July 4, 2022, F66 sat on the banks of the Flaming Gorge Reservoir in Wyoming. At that point, F66 could either turn around and return north, or plunge into the cold water and move forward.
Hinton said F66 made the shocking decision to swim at least a quarter of a mile to reach the other side of the reservoir. From there, she continued her journey south.
F66 completed her 1,000-mile trek in less than 165 days, where she averaged six miles a day — with some days exceeding more than 20 miles.
According to Hinton, F66 crossed 75% of Colorado heading east before her death on Nov. 13, 2022. It was determined she had been killed by another cougar.
F66’s journey is the longest ever recorded for a GPS-tracked cougar, according to Hinton.
“This information is crucial to understanding population dynamics and improving management strategies for cougars within Utah and surrounding states,” said Hinton.
While researchers may not know why F66 traveled to Colorado, her journey will continue to help scientists learn more about the cougar species.
DENVER (KDVR) — After a lawsuit was filed against the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport, opinions from impacted residents not involved in the lawsuit, as well as pilots who fly at the airport, have flooded in.
“I’ve lived in my home for 30 years. And until about the end of 2017, the beginning of 2018, We were well aware of this airport, but we lived in harmony with it. It was not a problem,” Charlene Willey, a resident, said.
Willey said her late husband was actually an air traffic controller and loved everything aviation.
“We certainly did not have a prejudice,” she said. “But it was in 2018 [that] we really noticed a change.”
The airport has seen an increase in traffic, which means more frequent noise.
Neighbors who moved in close to the airport said they’ve signed easements that promised RMMA would limit airport expansion and in return, the community would accept a certain noise level.
“I can totally understand their complaint about the noise,” pilot Gordon Feliciano Jr., said. “I still scratch my head, though, you know, because they chose to live in those areas.”
Feliciano said the airport’s noise abatement program, designed to minimize noise to nearby homes, impacts how he flies in and out of the airport.
“Now that requires us to prepare the aircraft a little earlier and also to maneuver the aircraft a little more aggressively,” said Feliciano.
He said it’s a tricky spot because of the proximity to Centennial Airport and Denver International Airport because a lot of the air space overlaps. This limits where they can go.
“This airspace is restricted to 10,000 feet, so I cannot climb above 10,000 feet unless I have a clearance from Denver from the air traffic controller. And then once we’re outside, you will see [a blue line]. That’s the end of Denver’s Class B airspace,” Feliciano said.
Residents said not only is the noise constant but they are worried about the impacts of the leaded fuel.
Willey said she knew she was living in a “critical zone” for the airport.
She said the noise didn’t seem so bothersome until around 2018 when there was a spike in air traffic. She now believes her health issues are a result of this increase.
“My blood lead level is very elevated, even for an adult. If I were a child, it would be a cause, probably, for a lifetime injury,” said Willey.
The airport has vowed to switch to unleaded fuel in the coming years.
Meanwhile, three major flight schools operate at this airport, which has helped pilots like Feliciano’s son launch their careers.
He said there’s a pilot shortage going on right now, and that his son was able to take advantage of that to launch his career.
“That’s how he was able to build his career in order and get his position,” Feliciano said. “But he had to go through that whole training curriculum to do that.”
There are at least two things that both sides are in agreement on: The land surrounding the airport was never supposed to be developed for homes, and that flight traffic has increased at the airport in recent years.
The neighbors that were talked to were not plaintiffs in the lawsuit. FOX31 reached out to several plaintiffs of the lawsuit and the lawyer who filed, but they did not provide comment.
FOX31 will continue to follow the outcome of the lawsuit.
DENVER (KDVR) — Police in Commerce City are searching for a suspect who is accused of attempting to steal a vehicle and faces attempted murder charges.
The Commerce City Police Department said officers responded to what was reported as a “felony menacing” in progress near 6301 Dexter Street around 7:30 a.m. Friday.
According to CCPD, officers learned that a man was allegedly attempting to steal a vehicle when the victim and owner of that vehicle confronted him.
Then, police said the suspect pointed a handgun at the victim and pulled the trigger — however, the gun malfunctioned.
Police provided surveillance photos of the man, who is described as a Hispanic male, about 5 feet and 8 to 10 inches tall weighing 180 to 200 lbs.
Police in Commerce City are searching for a suspect who is accused of attempting to steal a vehicle and faces attempted murder charges. (Photo courtesy: Commerce City Police Department)
Police in Commerce City are searching for a suspect who is accused of attempting to steal a vehicle and faces attempted murder charges. (Photo courtesy: Commerce City Police Department)
He was pictured driving a 2019-2020 Hyundai Elantra, which police believe to be stolen.
CCPD said the suspect faces attempted murder charges.
Anyone who recognizes the suspect or the vehicle is asked to call the CCPD tip line as soon as possible at 303-289-3626.
DENVER (KDVR) – Most of Colorado will see mainly sunny skies on Saturday, helping to melt the snow picked up last night.
Weather today: Mostly sunny, cool
After a few inches of snow last night, all of Colorado will see mainly sunny skies helping to melt some of the snow. Highs are below average in the upper 30s for the Front Range with light winds.
Weather tonight: Clear skies, chilly
The skies will be clear tonight as lows dip back to the 20-degree mark. Winds stay light and there could be some refreezing in a few spots.
Looking ahead: Warming and dry
Clouds will build in for Sunday with light snow in the mountains. Snow totals only look to be an inch or two, but fresh snow is always great for the high country. Highs in Denver on Sunday are above average in the lower 50s. Highs will flirt with 60 degrees on Monday afternoon with mostly sunny skies.
Tuesday is the warmest day of the week with highs in the middle 60s and mainly sunny skies. Clouds will increase on Wednesday with light snow in the mountains. Denver could see an evening rain shower after highs hit the low 60s. We could see a swap to snow into Thursday morning, but it will clear through the day with highs near the 50 degree mark. Friday brings back sunshine with mild highs in the low 50s.
“All available resources have been deployed to assist in the operation, with emergency crews and first responders working around-the-clock, utilizing advanced search techniques supported by aerial drones,” SSR said in part in a Friday statement.
SSR said eight Copler mine employees were detained during the investigation into what happened.
“SSR Mining is providing its full cooperation to the regulators on site and providing support to the individuals and their families,” the company said in its statement.
A general view of the landslide at the Copler gold mine near Ilic village, eastern Turkey, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024. Hundreds of rescuers on Wednesday pressed ahead with efforts to search for at least nine workers trapped at a gold mine in eastern Turkey that was engulfed by a massive landslide. (Ugur Yildirim/Dia images via AP)
Second incident at Copler mine in recent years
SSR owns 80% of the entirety of the Copler district under Anagold Madencilik in partnership with Lidya Madencilik, according to the company, and the company’s exploration licenses surrounding the Copler mine span 17 km by 25 km (about 10.5 by 15.5 miles).
Video seemingly shot by a worker showed a huge mass of earth rushing down a gully, overrunning everything in its path. The landslide involved a mound of soil extracted from the mine, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said.
More than 800 search and rescue personnel, including police and military teams, mine rescuers and volunteers, were deployed to search for the nine missing personnel, Yerlikaya said.
Geologist Suleyman Pampal said the soil that formed the landslide had been processed for gold and may contain dangerous substances such as cyanide that is used to extract gold. He also warned of a threat to the nearby Euphrates River.
It’s the second incident at the site in recent years.
The mine was closed down in 2020 following a cyanide leak into the river, which stretches through Turkey, Syria and Iraq. It reopened two years later after the company was fined and a cleanup operation was completed.
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — According to FOX21’s crew on scene, the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) is expected to give an update on the death investigation at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) at or around 10 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 16.
FOX21 will carry the CSPD update live at the top of this article.
UPDATE: Death investigation at UCCS, campus closed Friday
UPDATE: FRIDAY 2/16/2024 9:06 a.m.
UCCS Public Safety wrote on X (formally known as Twitter) just after 8:50 a.m. that there is no safety concern on campus, and the shelter-in-place for Alpine Village is due to the ongoing investigation.
UPDATE: FRIDAY 2/16/2024 8:18 a.m.
The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) tells FOX21 News there is a death investigation happening at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS). CSPD wants the public to know this is not an active shooter situation.
CSPD said the campus is under a partial shelter-in-place while police investigate and UCCS will be closed for Friday, Feb. 16. There is no threat to the public, according to police.
UPDATE: FRIDAY 2/16/2024 8:04 a.m.
The University of Colorado Colorado Springs said only those in the Alpine Village need to shelter in place as public safety does not want movement in and around those areas. All others may leave campus at this time.
UPDATE: UCCS on lockdown, not an active shooter
UPDATE: FRIDAY 2/16/2024 7:15 a.m.
The University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) Public Safety shared on social media an update to the lockdown, there is no active shooter, and everyone is asked to remain sheltered in place on campus until further notice.
UCCS said the campus will be closed today.
ORIGINAL STORY: Lockdown at UCCS following reports of a shooting
FRIDAY 2/16/2024 7:10 a.m.
The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) said in the morning hours of Friday, Feb. 16 a report of a shooting led to a lockdown at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) campus.
According to CSPD, on Friday at around 6:15 a.m. police received a report of a shooting at UCCS and officers were on the scene.
UCCS Public Safety shared on social media that there is a lockdown on campus and are telling students to lock interior doors, turn off lights, move away from sight, do not open the door, and maintain silence.
FOX21 News has a crew on the way and will update this article as we learn more.
ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — Video shows an inmate at the Arapahoe County jail struggling until she later fell into a diabetic coma, all because she did not receive care while in custody, according to her attorney.
That happened in February 2022, and now a lawsuit has been filed against health provider Wellpath Care and the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office.
Melissa Lammert is the woman seen in distress in the video provided by her attorney, Adam Frank. The video shows her visible struggle through the night, with her ultimately lying on her back as she is tended by nurses and deputies.
“Everything could have been avoided if the intake nurses had simply given Ms. Lammert antiacids,” Frank said.
FOX31 reached out to Wellpath and the sheriff’s office for comment but had not gotten a response as of Thursday night.
Melissa Lammert is seen lying on the floor of a jail cell in Arapahoe County. Her attorney says she was not provided proper medical care for her diabetic condition. (Video provided by attorney Adam Frank)
Lawyer: Woman not given diabetes treatment in jail
Lammert, a diabetic, was in the Arapahoe County jail on a warrant in February 2022, and she complained of health problems while there. Frank said she had her dinner that night.
“(She) starts vomiting so much that it actually causes tears in her esophagus so that she’s vomiting blood,” Frank said.
She was given medication for nausea and not for her diabetic condition, according to Frank. Lammert spent the night in visible pain, and she then called her partner from the jail cell.
“(She) is telling him goodbye, is telling him, ‘I’m going to die in here, and I just want you to know this is not random, this is not bad luck. This is because they will not treat me,’” Frank said.
Lammert’s pain turned worse, according to Frank, and she began having trouble breathing.
“That trouble breathing is, again, a telltale symptom of progressing diabetic ketoacidosis, showing that it’s getting worse,” Frank said.
The night goes on, and Lammert is seen dragging herself to the sink in the jail cell. After a while, she holds herself up until later that morning.
“Collapses face first and just doesn’t move,” Frank said. “That, of course, scares the living hell out of her cellmates, who, again, call for assistance. And at that point, deputies and medical come.”
‘She would have died in that cell’
Frank said Lammert was seen several times that night by nurses at the jail, yet eventually, she fell into a diabetic coma that night.
“Ultimately, Ms. Lammert only gets to the hospital because, later, a deputy decides to call, overriding the nurses,” Frank said. “If it had been left up to these nurses, she would have died in that cell.”
Lammert’s attorney said as a result of her stay in jail that night, she will now require insulin — a medication she didn’t need before — for the rest of her life.
