Tag: la plata county
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5-year-old found alive 30 hours after crash that killed two in Colorado
In a May 4 social media post, Upper Pine River Fire Protection noted that a local automobile crash that is believed to have occurred on May 1 has been called “both a tragedy and a miracle” – a tragedy as two adults were killed, but a miracle as a 5-year-old child passenger was found alive…
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Colorado Supreme Court to hear cases on witness retaliation, slip-and-fall
The Colorado Supreme Court announced on Monday that it will decide whether defendants can be convicted of retaliating against a victim or witness when that person has not yet testified and is not scheduled to testify. At least three of the court’s seven members must agree to hear a case on appeal. There is currently…
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‘Unprecedented’ flooding prompts evacuations in southwest Colorado; Polis issues disaster declaration
LA PLATA COUNTY — Flooding brought on by heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Priscilla is damaging homes and prompting evacuations in southwest Colorado. The Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Management Monday afternoon issued a flood warning for the county until 3 p.m. Wednesday. A local disaster was declared in unincorporated La Plata County Saturday…
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Former Colorado jail commander faces another class action suit
Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save A former La Plata County jail commander criminally accused of viewing and replaying thousands of strip-search videos of women inmates over a five-year period for sexual gratification is being sued again along with the county’s sheriff, court documents show. Edward Aber, 62, became commander of…
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Wildfire update: Containment efforts continue on several blazes in western Colorado
Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Containment efforts continue on several wildfires in western Colorado, including two that started over the weekend, according to incident officials. The Elkhorn fire, burning on La Plata County and U.S. Forest Service land northwest of Durango, has more than doubled in size since Sunday, officials…
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Former Colorado county jail commander charged with 117 counts of invasion of privacy
Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save The Colorado Bureau of Investigation has charged a former La Plata County jail commander with 117 counts of invasion of privacy after he allegedly viewed and replayed 117 female inmates’ strip-search videos. Edward Aber, 62,…
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Appeals court overturns woman’s conviction, finds defect in template jury instructions
Colorado’s second-highest court overturned a criminal conviction from La Plata County on Thursday, concluding it was the “rare case” in which the template jury instructions incorrectly describe how jurors can find someone guilty of retaliating against a witness. The jury that convicted Erin Amber Trujillo was instructed it could find her guilty if she directed…
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Colorado mountain towns tap tourists to help address housing, child care for workers
Editor’s note: Today, The Gazette begins publishing stories from the Colorado Network, a new cooperative of freelance journalists focused on covering news from all corners of the state, particularly areas that are undercovered now. DURANGO • Durango and La Plata County have come up with an innovative way to address acute shortages in housing and child…
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Appeals court divided over whether La Plata County judge’s illegal sentence is ‘salvageable’
Colorado’s second-highest court on Thursday agreed a La Plata County judge imposed an illegal sentence, but remained divided about whether it should repair the problem itself. In the underlying case, Jacob Daniel John Jost pleaded guilty in 2023 to criminal mischief and received a sentence of two years’ probation. Later that year, he violated his…
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Appeals court clarifies ‘work product’ exemption to Colorado open records law
Colorado’s second-highest court last month clarified a draft report that is not subject to any meaningful decision-making by elected officials is a disclosable document under the state’s open records law. A three-judge panel for the Court of Appeals agreed Durango was required to disclose a draft of its 2021 financial report under the Colorado Open…