Latest news with #PuebloCountySheriff'sOffice
Miami Herald
4 hours ago
- General
- Miami Herald
Six lost Texas hikers spend 25 hours trapped on Colorado mountain, rescuers say
A group of six hikers from Texas got lost in steep, rugged terrain on a Colorado mountain, where they were trapped for an entire day, rescuers said. Five of the six hikers were minors, the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office said in a May 31 news release. The group started a day hike on Friday, May 30, near Graneros Creek, southwest of a town called Rye, deputies said. They went off the trail and 'became disoriented in dense vegetation,' unable to find their way back to the trail on Greenhorn Mountain. They called dispatch for help about 7:30 p.m. to report that they were lost, the sheriff's office said. Search and rescue volunteers started searching the mountain on foot, 'working through the night despite steep terrain, heavy rain, and limited visibility,' the agency said. A rescuer got injured that night but continued searching until he couldn't anymore, the sheriff's office said. Another rescue team joined the next morning, and a rescue helicopter found the lost hikers but couldn't rescue them or the injured rescuer in the rugged terrain, the agency said. The agency coordinated with state and national agencies to use a helicopter capable of a high-angle rescue, deputies said. The helicopter hoisted the injured rescuer off the mountain at about 3:30 p.m. while the rest of the team located the lost hikers. Rescuers found four of the six hikers and discovered the other two kids had left the group to try to find the trail, the agency said. Rescuers found them at about 4:45 p.m. and helped the group out of the area to an incident command post, where they were evaluated. All six were uninjured but exhausted, deputies said. 'This was a very long, difficult, and dangerous operation, and we are thankful for the positive outcome,' Pueblo County Sheriff David J. Lucero said in the release. 'Everyone was safely rescued, and although one of our SAR members was injured, we are grateful no one suffered serious harm.' The agency shared photos from the rescue on Facebook. Someone commented saying they were one of the parents of the lost hikers. 'We send our utmost gratitude and appreciation for your help in getting the boys safely home,' they said, adding that their great grandfather was the postman during World War II in Rye. 'The cabin he built has been in our family for decades and…our family continues to spend our summers in Rye, CO. The boys used their phone gps, as it was their first hike in that area,' the person wrote. 'It told them they were on the correct trail when in fact…they were not in the area the gps was telling them they were at.' The parent also sent prayers to the injured rescuer. Rye is about a 75-mile drive southwest from Colorado Springs.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Kidnapping suspect arrested after I-25 chase facing new charge
(PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo.) — The suspect arrested on Monday, May 26, after a high-speed chase on I-25 and for an alleged kidnapping, is facing new charges from an unrelated incident that happened in Lakewood, Colorado, according to the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office (PCSO). PCSO said on Monday, deputies were called to a robbery at the Circle K in northern Colorado City, just off I-25. While deputies responded, they learned the suspect left the scene in a 2020 grey Ford Escape, and around that same time, learned of a kidnapping report where the victim's vehicle matched the description of the Ford Escape and information pointed to the victim being in the area. A deputy later located the car and attempted to pull it over, but the driver sped away from the deputy, starting a chase that ended in Huerfano County north of Walsenburg. Deputies arrested the driver, identified as 28-year-old Shane McSwane; the kidnapping victim was shaken and emotionally distraught but uninjured. Deputies learned McSwane had allegedly carjacked the woman on Sunday night, May 25, in Aurora, and said he then drove the woman against her will for nearly four hours, going as far south as the town of Aguilar. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Kidnapping victim rescued after 30-mile chase on I-25 On Friday, May 30, PCSO said McSwane is being held in the Pueblo County Jail and facing a new charge of Attempted First-Degree Murder from an unrelated incident in Lakewood. Lakewood Police had issued a $250,000 warrant for McSwane for Attempted First-Degree Murder and Assault with a Deadly Weapon related to the incident that happened within their jurisdiction. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Miami Herald
5 days ago
- Miami Herald
Stranger kidnaps woman, drives her nearly 200 miles from home, Colorado cops say
A man led authorities on a 30-mile chase spanning two counties after Colorado deputies say he carjacked, then kidnapped a woman. Shane McSwane, 28, was arrested on a slew of charges in relation to the kidnapping of a 22-year-old Aurora woman, the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office said in a May 27 Facebook post. 'I want to commend our deputies as well as the Huerfano County Sheriff's Office for their swift, professional, and courageous actions during this highly dangerous situation,' Pueblo County Sheriff David J. Lucero said in a news release. 'Their decisive response saved this victim's life.' Deputies said they were responding to a report of a robbery at a Circle K convenience store in Colorado City when a woman called 911 to report her daughter had been kidnapped. The woman told dispatchers her daughter's 'phone was pinging near the Circle K,' deputies said. The robbery suspect left in a Ford Escape prior to deputies arriving, according to the sheriff's office. The SUV matched the one involved in the woman's kidnapping, deputies said. As a deputy patrolled Interstate 25, they noticed the SUV driving northbound, exiting at Pueblo Boulevard, the sheriff's office said. The deputy tried to pull over the SUV, but the driver, later identified as McSwane, didn't stop, according to the sheriff's office. Instead, he drove southbound on Interstate 25, and a 'dangerous' 30-mile chase through two counties ensued, deputies said. McSwane 'refused to stop, crossing the interstate median multiple times, endangering other drivers on the interstate,' the sheriff's office said. Huerfano County deputies deflated the SUV's tires by placing 'stop sticks,' the sheriff's office said. Still, McSwane continued to drive 'several more miles,' according to the sheriff's office. Pueblo County deputies used a technical maneuver on the SUV, which caused it to stop, the sheriff's office said. Deputies from both counties boxed in the SUV, and 'McSwane was taken into custody at gunpoint,' the sheriff's office said. Despite being 'visibly shaken and emotionally distraught,' the woman was not physically harmed, according to deputies. The woman told deputies she was carjacked at about 11 p.m. on Sunday, May 25, while she was stopped in Aurora because of a car accident, deputies said. McSwane approached her SUV, then forced his way inside, she told deputies. 'He threatened her and took control of the vehicle,' deputies said. McSwane drove around with her inside the SUV 'against her will for nearly four hours,' traveling as far as Aguilar, about a 200-mile drive south from Aurora, deputies said. During the hours-long drive, he 'made repeated sexual comments' toward the woman, 'touched her inappropriately, and forced her to touch him,' according to deputies. When McSwane stopped at the Colorado City Circle K, the woman said he went inside and 'threatened to shoot the clerk if she didn't give him a lighter,' deputies said. The clerk was unharmed, deputies said. In addition to a second-degree kidnapping charge, McSwane is also facing 'two counts of aggravated robbery, unlawful sexual contact, second-degree motor vehicle theft, two counts of menacing with a deadly weapon, felony vehicular eluding, reckless driving and driving under restraint,' according to deputies. McSwane was in possession of the woman's debit card and 'drug paraphernalia' at the time of his arrest, so additional charges may be forthcoming, deputies said. McSwane was being held without bail as of May 28, jail records show. An investigation is ongoing, deputies said.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Pueblo Sheriff readies mobile command for warmer weather
(PUEBLO, Colo.) — The Pueblo County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) is getting ready for a busy summer by preparing its Mobile Command Vehicle for deployment in Pueblo County and the surrounding area. PCSO said the vehicle is funded by a Department of Homeland Security Grant, supports major incidents and planned events across the South Region. It has been deployed to assist with wildland fires, officer-involved shootings, large-scale evacuations, as well as events like election security. 'We want to make sure it's out there and our partners know about it, and they can utilize it if they have an incident or a planned event in their area,' said Joshua Johnson, Emergency Management Coordinator. 'Any of our other contiguous county partners–Otero or Crowley, El Paso–if they had a need, they could certainly reach out to us here at the Sheriff's Office, and we'd be happy to share it with them.' The Mobile Command was purchased in 2006 for $500,000, and almost 20 years later, it has just under 5,000 miles. PCSO said they are glad it is not always needed, but want to make sure everyone knows it is there when they do. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Yahoo
Alleged school threats prompt D70 closures
(PUEBLO WEST, Colo.) — On Easter day, April 20, a message containing threats to students and teachers of Pueblo County School District 70 (D70) was allegedly sent to people, prompting several school closures for Monday, April 21, as the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) investigates. A viewer provided FOX21 News with a message sent to parents from D70 stating that, out of an abundance of caution, Liberty Point International School, District 70 Online Learning Academy Pueblo West Campus, and Swallows Charter Academy would be closed on Monday while the investigation continues. D70 sent a statement, saying, 'Pueblo County School District 70 is working in close partnership with the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office to investigate the situation.' According to PCSO, the Sheriff's Office received information of a possible threat, which at this time doesn't appear to be a credible threat. PCSO stated, 'We are working with District 70 officials and continue to investigate. We will have an increased presence at the schools tomorrow.' The threats were sent 26 years to the day after the Columbine shooting, when two teenage boys took the lives of 12 students and one teacher. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
