Author: KRDO

Marina Garcia

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) –    During the last weekend of the state fair, our station received multiple complaints about a specific act. Spectators felt that it was inappropriate and did not belong on the stage.

Now the performing group behind it is standing by the dance, saying it was all above board and designed for audiences of all ages.

Lori Trejo, the woman who booked the dancer, says this was the fourth time they were invited back by the fair, and it’s frustrating how the criticism is being handled by management.

“I’m a little upset…to be honest with you. They’re going to do what they need to do to make it family-friendly. However, I wish they would have addressed the bullying that happened because that’s a little more inappropriate than what this beautiful dancer did on the stage,” says Lori Trejo, the previous owner of Wildfire Belly Dance Company.

In prior years, the performers have done the same dance and worn similar outfits.

Jacqueline Santos, who works with the dancer in the video, says the backlash they are receiving is shocking.

“As pole artists, we always take care to tailor our routines to be family-friendly, entertaining, and most of all, appropriate for the audience,” says Jacqueline Santos, owner of Peacock Pole Art & Body Weight Fitness.

The Colorado State Fair says they have worked with Wildfire Belly Dance Company for years; however, they are trying to do right by the customers.

“For them, it may be family-friendly. For some of our other customers, this was not for us. It’s all about time and place,” says Andrea Wiesenmeyer, the Colorado State Fair general manager.

The dancers say that, regardless of their long work history with the fair, they will not be attending in the future.

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Michael Logerwell

CAÑON CITY, Colo. (KRDO) – Friday evening, during a stand-off with a barricaded suspect, a Fremont County Sheriff’s Deputy fired a shot, hitting the barricaded man and triggering an investigation into the deputy’s use of force.

According to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the incident began as a welfare check, but escalated. CBI says the 27-year-old who was barricaded inside a home on Chestnut St in Cañon City was armed.

During the encounter, a deputy fired a shot, hitting the 27-year-old, causing him non-life-threatening injuries. He was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The deputy who fired the shot was also transported to a local hospital, but not because he was struck by gunfire. Rather, CBI said he went to the hospital after “experiencing a medical event.”

Immediately following the stand-off, CBI agents say they located what appeared to be several explosive devices in the residence. The Pueblo Metro Bomb Squad responded to the scene and determined that the devices, consisting of four plastic and one metal item, were inert. Which means that the devices resembled explosives, but did not contain any explosive material.

The 27-year-old is expected to be taken into custody once he is released from the hospital on charges that include 1st Degree Assault, Menacing, and Prohibited Use of a Weapon. His identity has not been released.

The investigation into this incident is ongoing.

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Michael Logerwell

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – While the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and local partners continue their criminal investigation into the Davis Mortuary, another state agency is just beginning.

The Colorado Division of Insurance (DOI) is seeking to determine the total potential impacts on pre-need funeral contracts that individuals had with the Davis Mortuary.

The DOI is asking consumers who believe they had a pre-need funeral contract impacted by the investigation to contact them.

If you believe you are impacted or have questions, you can file a form online on the DOI website.

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Michael Logerwell

LA JUNTA, Colo. (KRDO) – Agents with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and officers with the La Junta Police Department say they’ve arrested 5 individuals connected to drug trafficking.

The following people were arrested and are facing charges:

Jaycob Butts (30): Obstruction, Resisting Arrest

Adrianna Smith (33): Obstruction

Jordan Del Rio (33): Unlawful Distribution, Special Offender, Dangerous Weapon, Obstruction

Jeremy Del Rio (28): Unlawful Distribution, Special Offender, Dangerous Weapon, Obstruction, Resisting Arrest

Ezekiel Aguilar (30): Outstanding Arrest Warrants 

Zachary James (41): Outstanding Arrest Warrants

CBI says the operation commenced on August 29. Law enforcement officials went to execute a search warrant at 1314 San Juan Avenue in La Junta. CBI explained that the reason for the search warrant was that they had gathered intelligence that linked the residence to the possession and trafficking of stolen firearms. The home had also received repeated complaints involving suspected drug distribution and other criminal activity, the agency said.

Some attempted to flee the residence, others barricaded themselves inside before eventually surrendering, and one person attempted to hide in a closet. The final arrest was made when Zachary James arrived at the home during the law enforcement search. He was arrested on outstanding warrants.

CBI says they were able to recover:

Six firearms, including an SKS battle rifle.

A homemade semi-automatic short-barreled rifle with a homemade suppressor. CBI says these weapons were unmarked and lacked serial numbers.

Approximately 143 grams of fentanyl (an estimated 1,430 pills).

Approximately 17 grams of methamphetamine.

“This operation highlights the commitment of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the La Junta Police Department to address drug and firearms trafficking in our communities,” said Todd Quick, La Junta Police Chief. “The recovery of illegal weapons and dangerous narcotics reinforces the importance of collaborative law enforcement efforts to safeguard the citizens of La Junta and the State of Colorado.”

The law enforcement agencies say the investigation remains active and additional charges may be coming.

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Samantha Hildebrandt

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)– On Aug 31, around 2:20 a.m., the Colorado Springs Police Department arrived at a traffic crash near the intersections of W. Colorado Ave. and 32nd St.

Officers found that a motorcycle had struck a curb before leaving the roadway. The rider of the motorcycle was found dead at the scene.

CSPD has released the identification of the motorcyclist as 28-year-old Dylan Hart.

No other injuries were reported. According to CSPD, speed does appear to be a contributing factor in the crash.

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Marina Garcia

BLACK FOREST, Colo. (KRDO) – It’s been exactly one year since 12-year-old Chase Culp was tragically killed in a car crash at the intersection of Shoup and Herring Road.

Chase and his father were on their way home from basketball practice when a 75-year-old man did not stop at a stop sign and collided with the father and son’s car. 

To commemorate his anniversary, his parents say they thought hard about how to make the best of the gathering.

They invited Chase’s old teammates from the Eagles basketball team, friends, and family to spend the day playing kickball at his home before heading to the site of the incident for a candlelight vigil.

Though it has been a year, his parents tell me it feels like it was yesterday. 

“I think throughout the week…I was reflecting on how young he was and how I will probably miss him more than the years I had to spend with him,” says Chase’s Mother, Leisa Garcia-Culp.

His parents say they are grateful for the community and the Eagles basketball team that have continued to support them and show love for their cherished Chase.

If there is a silver lining to this tragedy, it’s that the crash brought attention to the dangers of the Shoup and Herring Road intersection.

El Paso County has since outfitted the stop sign with solar-powered flashing lights and a warning that cross traffic does not stop, to hopefully prevent a crash, like the one last year, from happening again.

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Michael Logerwell

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – Several viewers reached out to KRDO13 on Saturday, up in arms over a performance on the ‘free stage’ at the Colorado State Fair.

The performance, which went semi-viral on Facebook, shows a woman in what looks like a black swimsuit dancing around a pole to music. State Fair officials say it was unexpected, but the performing group says it was not sexual and was a planned performance.

The State Fair officials said the performance was booked through a third-party vendor and that they didn’t know what the content of the act was going to be.

In an email sent to KRDO13, they wrote:

“The events that took place Friday, August 29, on one of our free entertainment stages at the Colorado State Fairgrounds are unfortunate and do not reflect the Fair’s commitment to family-friendly entertainment.

This was part of a series of performances booked by a third-party stage production vendor. The performance’s content was not transparently disclosed before the performance began.

However, the Colorado State Fair takes full responsibility for the performance and for allowing it to continue.  We apologize to all who have been impacted.”

However, the group behind the performance is pushing back against this statement.

KRDO13 spoke to Jaqueline Santos, the owner of Peacock Pole Art and Body Weight Fitness.

She said this is the 4th year one of their performers has put on a show at the State Fair. As for the notion that the performance wasn’t family-friendly, Santos disagrees. She says they specifically curate shows that showcase the power behind pole dancing while keeping it tasteful and family-friendly.

In response to some of the uproar, Santos wrote on social media,

“I want to clarify that our performers at the Colorado State Fair was part of an artistic, athletic, and fully age-appropriate pole performance. Pole is often misunderstood, but it is a legitimate sport and art form—recognized worldwide—with strength, flexibility, musicality, and storytelling at its core.

We take great pride in curating routines that are empowering, tasteful, and suitable for a family-friendly audience. This was not a nightclub act, nor was it intended to be “inappropriate.” It was a celebration of movement, creativity, and culture—just like the other dance and acrobatic acts at the fair.”

KRDO13 will have more on this controversy tomorrow at 5 pm on Channel 13.

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Michael Logerwell

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – “Are you really going to write me a ticket? It’s my birthday!” That’s just one of the excuses El Paso County Sheriff’s Deputies heard during their increased enforcement during Labor Day Weekend.

During a dual morning and evening enforcement period across the Pikes Peak region, 98 drivers were pulled over and 67 tickets were written. The lion’s share for speeding, with the most egregious violation for a driver going 101 mph in a 65 mph zone.

Trying to escape a ticket, drivers told deputies everything from “it’s my birthday,” to “I’m late for an appointment,” and “I’m in a hurry to get to Walmart.”

In total, 58 tickets were issued for speeding, three for careless driving, one for reckless driving, two for expired registration, one for driving without a license, and two for driving without insurance.

Also, one driving under the influence arrest was made. The sheriff’s office, citing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), says drunk driving crashes increase by as much as 40 percent during Labor Day weekends, making it one of the deadliest holidays to travel.

“These enforcement efforts remind drivers; reckless behavior has consequences and help protect everyone on our roads. As we approach a holiday weekend, we urge everyone to plan ahead, designate a sober driver, and make responsible choices behind the wheel,” said El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal.

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Julia Donovan

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – People who live in parts of Southeast Colorado Springs are cleaning up downed trees and surveying the damage after high winds took a toll on the area Thursday night.

KRDO crews spoke with neighbors in the Chelton and Airport Road area as they cleaned up the mess on Friday. They told us everything happened in a matter of seconds, hearing heavy hail and then loud noises as trees came crashing down and power lines were ripped out.

“I grew up in Illinois, and we definitely had our fair share of microbursts and tornadoes, but I’ve never seen anything that fast,” said resident Keegan McArthur.

Neighbors say power was out in the neighborhood for several hours before it was restored in the early morning hours.

Utility crews in El Paso County, pictured, assess the damage following a Thursday night storm.

We’re told one downed tree caused a gas leak that has since been repaired on Overton Street.

People who live in the area say the neighborhood united after the fact to check on those with more severe property damage and make sure everyone was okay.

“It was cool to see the community come together and start chopping branches and moving things, and everybody was checking on each other,” said Keegan.

“The neighborhood got together, we walked all the way up the street, cleared it – everybody worked as a unit,” Tino Garcia reiterated. “Great neighbors.”

Neighbors don’t believe anyone was injured, but we’re waiting to hear back from authorities for confirmation.

We’ve also reached out to the National Weather Service to see if it plans to send crews out to survey the damage and clarify what weather phenomenon caused it.

A tree came crashing down on Fairmont Street in El Paso County. This photo was taken on Aug. 29, 2025, the morning following the storm.

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Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — An unusually designed but frequently used train crossing just south of downtown will close during the next year and be replaced by a new crossing a mile farther east.

The crossing is located at the intersection of Las Vegas and Royer Streets, situated atop a small but steep hill that can cause low-profile vehicles to become stuck, thereby interrupting train schedules and posing a traffic safety risk.

A study by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) determined that the crossing has a nonstandard design and has had 25 non-fatal vehicle/train collisions since 1975.

Officials said that the project, called the Twin Bridges Project, begins next month.

The first step is building an access road along Las Vegas, a mile east of the existing crossing and under the MLK Bypass on US 24, that will connect to nearby Hancock Avenue and be the location for a new crossing.

The existing crossing will be closed after that construction; Royer north of the tracks will become a cul-de-sac.

Officials said that the affected segment of Las Vegas will close for two weeks at the end of the project.

One lane of traffic in each direction will remain during most of the project, except during the first phase, when there will be one lane closed and another with alternating traffic.

“We’re going to be doing a new at-grade railroad crossing, with a lot of safety features for pedestrians and bikes to be able to make that traverse over the railroad,” said Gail Sturdivant, the city’s deputy public works director.

Drivers told KRDO 13’s The Road Warrior that the existing crossing has existed for as long as they can remember, but no one seems to know when it was actually built.

The crossing is a popular shortcut for drivers traveling between neighborhoods east of downtown, heading to Interstate 25, Security-Widefield, and Fountain.

Sales tax revenue from the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority is financing the $12.7 million project.

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