denver & the west
Victim tails home invaders
SHOTS FIRED IN CAR CHASE
By Kirk Mitchell Denver Post Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 05/09/2007 11:37:30 PM MDT
Ricardo Garcia had just returned to his Green Valley Ranch home Monday from an evening stroll with his wife and their 6-year-old son when there was a knock.
At the door was a man who pointed an assault rifle at him and a partner who put a pistol to his head, he said Wednesday. (That confirms that)
That led to what Garcia described as a frantic scuffle, followed by Garcia's high-speed pursuit of their fleeing vehicle, during which one of the suspects shot at Garcia. (Another confirmation)
"I was just pumped," Garcia said. "They weren't going to get away. I probably chased them for 20 minutes before police arrived."
Police confirmed Garcia's account - and said the information Garcia provided during the Monday night chase helped officers arrest the suspects. (Confirmed again)
Police arrested one suspect after they joined the chase. A second suspect was found hours later hiding at a mobile-home park.
Quinten Arnwine, 20, wanted in a Thornton murder case, and Diego F. Coto, 54, were advised in Denver court Wednesday that they were being held for investigation of attempted murder. They also could face burglary and robbery charges. (This guy's lucky to be alive as these guys were truly dangerous)
Police allege that Arnwine fatally shot Timothy Marx, 24, in an apartment parking lot Oct. 14 while robbing him during a drug deal, said Matt Barnes, Thornton police spokesman.
Garcia, an auto-body repair technician, said he grew up in a tough section of northeast Denver and often had to defend himself with his fists. His older brother, a Denver narcotics officer, helped raise him after his father died when he was 3.
"My brother taught me that ... if they get in your face, you need to defend yourself," he said.
When Garcia opened his front door about 7:30 p.m. Monday, one of the two men asked for someone Garcia didn't recognize, and then the other man pointed an assault rifle at him. (Note: Assault rifle)
"He put it in my face," Garcia said. "They yelled, 'Get down and shut the (expletive) up."'
Just then, he said, his wife grabbed their son's hand, and the two ran down the hall. As the man with the large gun chased after Garcia's wife, the other man - armed with a pistol - looked down the hall. That's when Garcia said he grabbed the pistol. (Now we know why the guy with the rifle didn't shoot. He wasn't there)
"I didn't really think about it," Garcia said. "We were tugging on the gun. I slammed him into the wall. He was a pinball. I shoved him outside and into a column. I swung him into cast-iron chairs on the porch. I then slammed him into rocks face first."
Finally the man released the gun. Garcia said he pointed the gun at the intruder and pulled the trigger. It didn't go off. (Unloaded firearm)
The other man ran out of the house. The two suspects then drove away in a Dodge Durango. Garcia said he jumped into his Cadillac Escalade barefoot and gave chase.
The other car was about a mile ahead, going west on East 48th Avenue. Garcia said he quickly caught up with the suspects - going 80 mph - because they were driving at normal speed, apparently to avoid attracting attention. (High speeds confirmed)
"When they saw me coming, they took off," he said. "They were blowing around cars and through three stop signs."
On southbound Himalaya Road, one of the intruders climbed halfway out of the Durango and fired at Garcia, he said. None of the bullets struck his Escalade.
Garcia said he backed off but still followed the Durango onto Interstate 70 and headed east into Arapahoe County. The Durango, at one point, sped up to 120 mph, he said. (So he DID back off)
The Durango crossed a grassy median, and the two vehicles drove east in the westbound lanes for a time, dodging cars, before crossing back into the eastbound lanes, Garcia said. (Finally, I agree with those who think he was stupid. THIS was stupid!)
While following, Garcia spoke to an attendant for OnStar, the General Motors auto-monitoring service, and an Arapahoe County sheriff's deputy, giving updates about where the suspects were headed, he said. (Directing police to the perps)
Garcia lost track of the suspects after they drove off of I-70 at East Colfax Avenue. But moments later, he said, the Durango sped past him on Colfax with three squad cars in pursuit.
Arapahoe County deputies at first handcuffed Garcia as they sorted out the situation, but authorities now say he is unlikely to face any charges. (Good)
Denver police spokesman John White would not comment on whether victims should chase suspects, but he did say crime victims should get as much information as they can about suspects and pass it along to police.
