Author: KRDO

Scott Harrison

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — Fall may seem to be too late in the year to start a road project, but good weather is providing crews with an opportunity to begin preliminary work on a road north of Monument, between Interstate 25 and Palmer Lake.

The county has various improvements planned for Beacon Lite Road, covering two-thirds of a mile between Wakonda Way — where the paved section of Beacon Lite ends — to Bricker Road.

That stretch is hilly, winding, and fairly narrow, with several bends, bumpy road conditions, steep banks, and issues with erosion and drainage.

A key facet of the project is building a new road segment on the south end to straighten out the sharpest of several road bends.

Other early project aspects include cutting down some roadside trees to relocate utility lines and install stormwater infrastructure.

The latter improvement is what neighbor Zach Sullivan is particularly interested in, because of damage to his yard from previous erosion and flooding.

“It’s better for the community, so to speak, but I just think it’s going to make people drive a little faster,” he said. “I would hope they’d put in a maybe stop sign, or something, to slow people down. They already drive fast on a dirt road. So, if they pave it, I think it’s just going to increase speeds.”

Another neighbor, Jan Talbot, believes that the project’s benefits outweigh any inconveniences.

“I’m not looking forward to the process, just because it’ll be a mess,” she confessed. “But that’s just me. It’s going to be dusty; it’ll be dirtier than even it is now. But once the road is paved, it’ll be less dusty and safer to drive on.”

Several neighbors told KRDO 13’s The Road Warrior that the county acquired or obtained easements on some private property as part of the project.

The project’s final step will be paving the gravel road with asphalt sometime next spring or summer.

Residents along Bricker Road will be watching the project’s progress closely.

“We have around 20 homes there,” a neighbor told The Road Warrior. “The Beacon Lite intersection is our only way in and out.”

Work hours for the project will generally be weekdays from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m.; the county asks drivers to be alert for occasional lane shifts and the presence of construction vehicles.

Some neighbors wonder why the county isn’t continuing the project a third of a mile farther north, to where Beacon Lite ends at County Line Road.

Omar Lopez, the project manager, said that the entire unpaved segment was originally scheduled to start a year or two ago, but that it has taken the county longer than expected to reach agreements with property owners regarding acquisition or easements.

“I think there were 30 total parcels we needed to obtain and only two remain,” he explained. “Both are in that northern end between Bricker and County Line. Douglas County has conservation easements along the County Line. We’re trying to work through that because there are other things involved.”

The project costs $8.2 million and is funded by sales tax revenue from the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority.

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Michael Logerwell

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Residents at a Colorado Springs apartment complex had to evacuate their homes as firefighters battled a fire at the complex.

On Sunday night, the two Colorado Springs fire vehicles responded to an apartment along N. Murray Blvd. N. Murray between Platte and Maxwell has been temporarily shut down due to water supply lines that cross the roadway to a hydrant.

The fire department told KRDO13 that one family has been displaced by the fire. An official origin of the fire has not been identified, but firefighters said it appeared that the blaze started in the kitchen.

Firefighters were able to contain the fire to one unit.

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Michael Logerwell

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – October is Filipino American History Month, and this weekend, movie lovers celebrated with the first-ever Filipino movie premiere in Colorado Springs.

The movie is called How to Get Away from My Toxic Family. KRDO13 spoke to the film’s producer, Ogie Diaz, and one of the film’s actors, Mama Loi.

They said it was made for immigrants, for the unsung heroes who work to take care of their families abroad.

“It talks about a lot of Filipino values like debt of gratitude, like too much love for your family,” Loi said.

“[And] how to deal with the toxic family you have,” Diaz added.

The movie isn’t just showing in Colorado Springs. It’s being taken to different theaters around the world.

Diaz tells KRDO13 he hopes more people will leave the movie with a better understanding of Filipino culture.

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Samantha Hildebrandt

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)– A deadly overnight crash in Colorado Springs leaves one person dead and two others seriously hurt.

Police say it happened just after 2 a.m. Saturday morning at the intersection of East Fountain Boulevard and Academy Park Loop.

When first responders arrived, they found one person dead at the scene. Two others were rushed to the hospital with serious injuries.

Because of the severity of the crash, the department’s Major Crash Team was called in to investigate.

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Samantha Hildebrandt

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)– Police are investigating after a 7-Eleven employee was stabbed while confronting a group of teenage shoplifters in Colorado Springs.

It happened just before 11 p.m. Friday on the eighteen-hundred block of South Nevada Avenue—near Southgate Road.

Investigators say several teens tried stealing items from the store. When an employee stepped in, one of the suspects stabbed them while another assaulted them. The group took off before officers arrived.

KRDO13 spoke to a business behind the convenience store, and they say these shoplifting situations happen more than usual.

“Honestly, it doesn’t really surprise me around here,” says Alexander Donnelly, a vape store employee. “After starting my job here. At first, I was like, oh my gosh, this is kind of crazy. But, after working here for a little bit, I feel like I have become immune to it.”

Police believe the suspects are between thirteen and eighteen years old, described as white and Hispanic teens wearing dark clothing.

The victim was taken to the hospital—no word yet on their condition. The investigation is ongoing.

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Michael Logerwell

FOUNTAIN, Colo. (KRDO) – At 1:30 Saturday afternoon, shoppers at the Walmart along Highway 85/87 were abruptly asked to leave the building by store managers.

The reason for the evacuation was the smell of gas.

The City of Fountain said that customers reported the smell of gas to employees, who then chose to evacuate the building as a precaution.

When the Fountain Fire Department arrived, they used their gas detectors to identify where the leak was coming from, but they couldn’t find the leak. The gas detectors all showed zeros.

However, they were able to figure out where the smell was coming from; it was coming from the refrigeration section towards the front of the store.

Colorado Springs Utilities representatives came out to the store. An initial assessment of the smell coming from a drain in the refrigeration section, and it was not natural gas.

The store reopened that same afternoon. No customers or employees reported injuries.

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Michael Logerwell

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – More than 50 Pueblo residents in the Bessemer neighborhood are now more prepared for fire danger.

This weekend, the Pueblo Fire Department, Red Cross Volunteers, Black Hills Energy, and Xcel Energy went door-to-door checking to see if homes have working smoke detectors.

Whether it was a smoke detector without batteries or a home with no smoke detector at all, PFD and the Red Cross were there to help. The fire department says that in all, 60 lives were made safer today.

Everything, even the full installation of smoke detectors, was free to households in the area.

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Michael Logerwell

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Across the country, millions are participating in another round of ‘No Kings’ protests aimed at the current Trump Administration.

One of those protests took place here in Colorado Springs at America the Beautiful Park.

People in El Paso County came pouring in from east Cimarron Street and west Colorado Avenue, holding up signs and parading in costumes. All of which is part of the nationwide movement, which organizers say signifies our democracy.

While everyone gathered, the crowd listened to speeches by local leaders, danced to music, and embraced the overwhelming support from those around them.

Organizers of the event said that today’s protest “aims to bring people together across El Paso County to stand for democracy, unity, and progress,” adding that, “this event is part of a nationwide movement declaring that in America, we don’t do kings.” The rally also included community workshops, voter registration, and more.

After meeting at America the Beautiful Park, the crowd marched around the downtown area of Colorado Springs. People walking the sidewalks were also surrounded by drivers in the streets who slowly drove alongside them, honking their horns and chanting.

On the other side of the aisle, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R) said on social media in the days leading up to the nationwide protests that “We expect the Left’s ‘Hate America’ rallies tomorrow to be filled with angry rants and totally false narratives.”

However, an organizer we spoke to says that could not be farther from the truth.

“I heard it being called the ‘I Hate America’ rally, and I think that it’s the furthest thing from it. Moments like this in this collective group of people, we all love this country, and we love it enough that we want to work to make sure that it lives up to its potential,” says Shawn Maddox, a ‘No Kings’ organizer.

Watch the report live tonight after the college football game on ABC at 9:15 p.m. and again at 10 p.m.

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Heather Skold

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — This Fall, members of Fort Carson’s 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, will deploy to the Middle East– all to support U.S. Central Command, according to The Mountain Post. 

Ahead of any deployment, it’s natural for the military member and their families to experience feelings of anxiety, depression, and tension; the unknowns are countless. 

Here to help: the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic.  The clinic has 22 locations nationwide, with one of them being in Colorado Springs. 

“The family takes on a whole new identity, potentially,” said Amy Moore, Cohen Clinic Director.

The clinic provides in-person therapy to individuals, couples, and children, as long as the serving member meets post-9/11 criteria. Face-to-face video therapy via CVN Telehealth is also available. 

“As a caregiver, especially, you’re trying to look strong. You’re trying to look supportive for your family member who’s deployed, who’s serving our country, and that’s so much to handle on top of your shoulders.” 

For Andrea Keits, a 28-year “spouse of the military,” she’s learned that flexibility and compromise made her marriage last. 

“I may look like I have my life together, but my sock is bunched at the bottom of my shoe.  Deployments are hard.  Families go through different things; no one’s journey is the same,” said Keits. 

She brings a lot of learned experience, now serving as the clinic’s intake coordinator.  She remembers the demands that came, not being stationed close to family as she and her husband Derrick, expanded their own nuclear family. 

The Cohen Clinic accepts TRICARE health insurance. 

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Celeste Springer

PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — A Silver Cliff woman is suing Brian Cotter in small claims court, according to records obtained by 13 Investigates.

The lawsuit is for $3,105, plus court costs. The woman says she is suing because she prepaid for cremation services and wants her money back.

Deborah ‘Debby’ Paladay tells 13 Investigates her family had trusted Davis Mortuary for 48 years.

Paladay explained that they used the Cotters’ services for her mother, father, brother, previous husbands, and daughter. She described all of her family members as the most outstanding people, while noting that they deserve better.

“We had trusted Davis Mortuary for so long. I also just went ahead and did pre-paid cremation,” explained Debby Paladay.

Paladay said that she wants her money back, so the financial burden doesn’t fall on her kids.

“I’ve got to get that money back or my kids are going to be stuck with that expense whenever I go,” shared Paladay. “When this all happened, I just felt like that trust was so violated. And, I wanted to get my 3,000 back because I’m retired. I don’t have a ton of money.”

She’s encouraging others to fight for their money back.

“Things like this shouldn’t have ever happened. And because they did, people got to step up and stand up for themselves,” stated Paladay.

We also reached out to the Division of Insurance (DOI) to see what they’d recommend for other families who may be in a similar situation.

DOI has initiated an inquiry that will assess potential impacts to pre-need funeral contracts that may be related to the Davis Mortuary, and we are encouraging Coloradans to submit requests for assistance related to pre-need funeral contracts through a form on our website: https://doi.colorado.gov/information-regarding-the-davis-mortuary

At this time, DOI’s investigation is ongoing, and we are not able to share more information as ongoing investigations are confidential.

-A Division of Insurance spokesperson

Cotter is at the center of a Pueblo County controversy and investigation. He was the Pueblo County coroner, but also owned his own funeral home business.

Back in August, inspectors alleged that they noted a smell of decomposition in his funeral home, Davis Mortuary. They claimed that there was a door hidden behind a display, and when they removed it, they allegedly found remains in various states of decomposition.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigations (CBI) said that there were 24 bodies found, and it’s believed that they were all brought to the funeral home between 2010 and 2012. As of the last update from the CBI in early October, six of the bodies have been identified.

As of this publication, no criminal charges have been filed against Brian Cotter, or funeral home co-owner Chris Cotter. However, Brian Cotter did step down from his position as county coroner.

The CBI says that they want to identify all of the bodies before the district attorney’s office evaluates potential charges.

“As we’ve indicated from the very beginning, this is a slow and tedious process,” said District Attorney Kala Beauvais on Oct. 1. “I am determined to get this case right. The filing of charges will be done right the first time.”

To read all of our updates on the Davis Mortuary case, click here.

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