On April 11, 2019, Nederland PD was dispatched to a report of a vehicle off the roadway in the area of Barker Dam. Initially it was reported there was smoke coming from the vehicle and there was another vehicle parked in the vicinity. Upon arrival on scene, officers observed a man waving them down and another helping a woman up the embankment of the reservoir. The female party reported having lost control of her vehicle due to her right rear tire losing traction, although she was going the approximate speed limit. The two male parties reported having witnessed the female party go through the metal guard rail at the Northeast section of the pull off by the dam, which was confirmed upon inspection of the location in question. Ned Fire and Ambulance staff arrived to check for additional victims in the car and evaluate the female party for injuries. She was later transported to Boulder Community Hospital for treatment. 

On April 16, 2019, Nederland PD was dispatched to a local bar on report of a physical disturbance in progress. Upon arrival, the officer found a female party sitting at the North end of the bar speaking with a female bartender and a very irate male party. The female patron was on her phone saying that she had been attacked by a staff member and had to defend herself. When she saw the officer approaching, she continued shouting the same statement as the male patron also began shouting that the female bartender was crazy and violent and that he had to pull her off of the female patron. 

Boulder County Sheriff arrived to assist, and spoke to the bartender in a separate room while the NPD officer continued with the female patron, who reported having a verbal altercation with the staff member, which included the staff member knocking off her cap, to which she took as an assault prompting her to defend herself. She admitted to fighting in public, and when asked why she didn’t walk away, she stated that she had to defend herself. Meanwhile in the other room, the female bartender managed to leave the scene without being noticed. NPD officers caught up with her later and convinced her to meet them at the department, where she admitted to engaging in a verbal altercation including knocking the female patron’s hat off and having a clump of her hair pulled out of her scalp. Both parties were issued a summons for disorderly conduct.  

On April 14, 2019, Nederland PD took a report of an insecure boat and trailer in the RTD Park and Ride that was blown into an adjacent parked vehicle. The owner of the struck vehicle was unavailable until April 17, 2019, when he filed a report. The only identifying marks on the boat and trailer were an expired tag for Colorado Parks and Wildlife that was registered to a party who when reached reported he was not in Nederland, that he buys, repairs and sells boats and trailers. He had no information about the current owner of the setup and no other information was found. 

On April 17, 2019, Nederland PD was approached by a female party with a report of an assault between herself and a male party while house sitting at the male party’s girlfriend’s house. On April 16, the male party passed the word around town that he was looking for the female party and a key to the house, as he had taken a call from his girlfriend who was concerned that she could not reach the female party that was left responsible for her home and dogs. She asked the male party to check on her dogs’ welfare. When the female party and her boyfriend drove to the house and knocked on the door, he came out of the house yelling for them to get out of his house and off his property. The female party questioned his right to kick them out since he was only living in his girlfriend’s house and was not part owner, further stating she did not go into his house. 

The male party reportedly picked her up and threw her to the ground, prompting her boyfriend to attend to her while the male party went back into the house and re-emerged with a baseball bat that he allegedly used to hit the female party’s boyfriend in the forearm. The female party and her boyfriend returned to their car and drove away, later explaining to PD that she left because she “did not want a DUI.” 

The female party and her boyfriend drove to a local pizza place where they were reportedly not served due to intoxication, so they bought a 6 pack and rented a room in the local lodge. She later stated while she was unsure of whether or not she wanted to press charges, she would prefer the room be paid for. As the officer was leaving, he was approached by the male party in the lobby who wanted to report his side of the story, claiming that the female party had been unreachable by his home owner girlfriend so he was dispatched to the home to check on the dogs when he noticed the house was locked and littered with beer cans. Later he was at home when the female party walked in unannounced and very intoxicated, speaking aggressively to him and refusing to leave. After multiple attempts to get her to leave, he shoved her out of the door and grabbed his baseball bat to stand in the front door. A friend of his arrived and tried to calm the situation, which resulted with the female party and her boyfriend leaving. He then stated to the officer that he did not want to press charges, but he was receiving threatening texts from the female party. 

The officer later spoke with a male party who reported witnessing the altercation while he was leaving his mother’s house. He reported that he watched for a while until he felt he should intervene to calm the situation, separating the female party and her boyfriend from the male party, whom he convinced to go back in the home. He corroborated the report that the female party and her boyfriend were intoxicated and stated at no time did the male party hit anyone with the baseball bat. 

On April 17, 2019, Ned PD officer received an inter-department request for a follow up on a situation at the local library where a female party claimed to have been accosted by another female party, a situation that left her shaken and a library employee removed her from the situation and allowed her to use the computer in his office. She later spoke to PD to request information about a protection order, as this was not the first time the female party accosted her. The officer recommended it due to knowing the history of the situation. No additional charges will be sought. 

On April 18, 2019, Nederland PD responded to a report of a man with a gun at the Nederland Skate Park. A female hiker reported running by the park when a man standing at the east end of the skate park pointed a gun at her and tracked her as she ran past. Nederland officers dispatched to the area and immediately split up to approach the location of the reported gunman. One officer approached first and encountered a young man holding what appeared to be a silver colored, large caliber handgun that he was in the process of putting down. He identified himself and ordered hands up, of which the male party did not comply.

He announced it again, and it appeared the male party was about to pick up the gun when a gust of wind blew through and moved the handgun. It was at that time that the officer realized it was not a real gun but plastic. He apprehended the male party with assistance from the second officer, ensuring there weren’t any additional weapons. The male party was issued a summons for Disorderly Conduct due to not having any reporting victim information or statements. He was returned to his bicycle and told to vacate the park and school area.

Later, the female reporting party contacted PD stating she had left a voice mail about the incident, giving the officer a verbal statement corroborating her initial report. The officer then downloaded the voicemail to add to the report, located the suspect and took him into custody. The original charge of Disorderly Conduct was dropped due to new information, and he was then charged with Felony Menacing. 

(Originally published in the June 9, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)