A 71-year-old woman was assaulted by a 16-year-old man leaving her with critical injuries

Boulder County, Colo. - At 8 p.m. last night, sheriff's deputies were sent to a residence in the 13,000 block of Lefthand Canyon Drive on a reported assault. When deputies arrived they found a 71-year-old woman who had suffered massive injuries, including a significant head injury, multiple fractures, and multiple lacerations. The woman was transported by ambulance to a local hospital and was admitted into the Intensive Care Unit where she remains.

Sheriff's investigators determined the woman had been assaulted with a blunt object by a 16-year-old man. The 16-year-old man had been hitchhiking, along with two friends, near Ward, when the female victim picked them up and offered them a place to stay as they tried to arrange for a ride home after a camping trip. The trio of hitchhikers were with the victim for several hours at her residence when the 16-year-old man suggested that they assault the woman in order to steal her car. The 16-year-old man's two companions rebuffed the idea of assaulting her. A short-time later the 16-year-old man began assaulting the woman, unprovoked.  The man's two companions ran to a neighboring residence approximately 1/2 mile away to report the assault.

The 16-year-old man was last seen getting into a white hatchback, which traveled west up Lefthand Canyon. It is presumed the 16-year-old fled the area by hitchhiking a ride with the driver of the white hatchback. The 16-year-old man's two companions, a 19-year-old man and a 17-year-old woman, remained at the scene and are cooperating with the investigation. Investigators are still seeking witnesses in Lefthand Canyon or along the Peak-to-Peak Highway who may have given a ride to a young hitchhiker last night or this morning. The 16-year-old man is Caucasian and has blonde hair.

Sheriff's investigators have obtained an arrest warrant for the 16-year-old man forAttempted 1st Degree Murder, a class one felony, and 1st Degree Assault to an At-Risk Adult, a class two felony. Bond has been set at $1 million dollars. The 16-year-old man is currently at-large, and the investigation is continuing.

Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to contact Detective Jason Shatek at (303) 441-3641. If anyone has information but would like to remain anonymous, please contact Northern Colorado Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or visit their website at www.nococrimestoppers.com.  Those who provide information leading to the identification of a suspect could be eligible to receive a reward of up to $1,000.