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Summit County Sheriff’s Office shut down 150-person party, investigated $19,000 lost in scam and made DUI arrest last week

The Summit County Sheriff's Office also worked with the Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office to arrest a man who flashed a gun-shaped lighter at another driver on Interstate 70

The Summit County Sheriff's Office launched the Justice Files, a weekly roundup of notable calls to service, on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024.
Summit County Sheriff’s Office/Courtesy photo

The Summit County Sheriff’s Office last week shut down an illegal 150-person party, investigated after a resident lost $19,000 to a scam and arrested a drunk driver who was involved in a hit-and-run.

The following incidents occurred between Monday, July 8, and Sunday, July 14, according to the weekly log published by the Summit County Sheriff’s Office.

On Monday, July 8, a house cat killed a bat and took it home to show off to its owner. Summit County Animal Control collected the bat from the “horrified” owner and sent it off for rabies testing. It was found negative for rabies a few days later.



On Tuesday, July 9, a homeowner in unincorporated Breckenridge thought she heard someone walking around outside her home, knocking on the door and then walking inside the first floor of the residence. She walked through the home on her own but didn’t find anyone. Deputies did a search around the perimeter of the home and the surrounding wooded area but didn’t find anyone or anything suspicious. She decided that it was likely wildlife and felt safe after the deputies confirmed that no one was lurking around in the area.

Also Tuesday, a Summit County resident received an email from what appeared to be the Best Buy Geek Squad, which indicated her subscription was expiring. The email directed her to call “support services” to remedy the issue. After several calls and a variety of tactics to get the women to pay, she ultimately lost over $19,000 to the scam in a short period of time. An investigation is ongoing.



On Wednesday, July 10, deputies responded to a hit-and-run reported at a campground near the Dillon Reservoir. A man reportedly hit a parked car, then refused to exchange information with the owner of the damaged vehicle before driving off. Deputies were able to locate the man and his vehicle before he got very far and noted that he was “visibly intoxicated, had slurred speech and smelled of alcohol,” the sheriff’s log states. He admitted to drinking and bumping into another vehicle, according to the log. He agreed to do roadside maneuvers but reportedly fell over while trying to complete them. He was arrested on several charges, including driving under the influence.

Also Wednesday, deputies responded to a disturbance between two men with a history of confrontations with each other. The first man reported that the second man pointed a knife at him at the bus station. The second man denied the claim and simply said he was holding a knife in his hand but didn’t point it at anyone. Video surveillance obtained from the bus station showed the second man pointing a knife at the first man when near him. He was placed under arrest for felony menacing and taken to the Summit County jail.

On Thursday, July 11, a deputy came across an unattended campfire that was still smoldering near a Dillon Valley trailhead. When fire response was requested to put it out completely, responders estimated that the fire had been left unattended for an extended period since the water used to put out the fire started to rapidly boil. An investigation into who left the fire unattended is ongoing and charges will be filed if a suspect can be positively identified, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

On Sunday, July 14, a man already walking home called into dispatch claiming he was kicked off a Summit Stage bus and the driver told him a deputy would give him a ride home. The man called multiple times, “aggressively and disrespectfully” demanding a ride home, the log states. He made it home safely but called back to dispatch several times demanding a free ride around the reservoir. A deputy advised that he would not be given a ride around the reservoir and he was told to stop calling dispatch.

Also Sunday, deputies were given information about a party occurring in Summit County Open Space with a DJ and at least 75 people planning to attend. When deputies arrived, about 60 vehicles and 150 people were in attendance with music blasting from the hillside. Deputies shut down the party using the DJ mic and all were warned that the area must be cleaned of trash. The illegal event organizer was issued a citation.

The Summit County Sheriff’s Office also responded to a road rage incident where a driver reported that another driver brandished a handgun at them on Interstate 70 on Sunday. A vehicle and driver description were given to the Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office since the vehicle was headed eastbound. Clear Creek deputies were able to stop the vehicle in Idaho Springs. The driver admitted to pulling out his lighter, which looked like a handgun, but denied pointing it at the other driver, the sheriff’s log states. He was placed into custody on a charge of felony menacing and transported to the Summit County jail.


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