Category: krdo-local-news

Celeste Springer

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) says that a young girl was hit by a car on Friday morning.

According to police, a call came in at 8:05 a.m. near Red Hill Circle and Rockrimmon Boulevard. Police say they were on scene by 8:15 a.m.

Initial reports to dispatch said the girl was 6 years old. Police say that the car involved stayed on scene, and the child was transported to the hospital. The child’s condition is unknown at this time; however, according to CSPD’s call screen, the child was conscious at the time of transport. Law enforcement on scene says that she was taken to a local hospital, but later had to be taken to another hospital for further treatment.

One neighbor said he came home just 5 minutes after the accident happened.

“I just got done dropping my son off at school and pulled up and noticed a vehicle had pulled in front of my house pretty fast, doors open. I came out to, like, a frantic scene. The little girl was lying in the road. Her mom was here, and I think she was walking with two other children at the time, so, it was a pretty chaotic scene,” explained Chris Taylor, “We were praying and people, you know, we’re trying not to get in the way because, like I said, the mother was there, and she was very upset. Her little brother was very upset. So we were just all trying to console people around and let the paramedics do their job.”

Taylor says that as a parent, the driving in the area concerns him.

“I see kids walking up and down the street a lot. I’ve been living in this neighborhood for a couple years now, and, right here in this section is pretty scary. There’s a blind corner, and people speed a lot, and there’s a lot of foot traffic up here. Not only students, but, families walking their dogs or just people exercising or biking. And so a lot of speeding and just illegal activity as far as road laws go,” shared neighbor Chris Taylor.

He said there should be more crosswalks along Rockrimmon Boulevard to Vindicator Dr. Another child was hit at that intersection in 2024 when walking to school.

KRDO13 raised neighbors’ safety concerns with the city.

First and foremost, we want to express our heartfelt sympathy to the family affected by this tragic incident. Our thoughts are with them during this difficult time. We understand that crosswalk placement is deeply connected to how safe people feel moving around our city.

The City follows established guidance on when and where to add crosswalks, with the goal of protecting both pedestrians and drivers. Crosswalks are most effective when placed at intersections with a stop sign, signal, or another form of traffic control. In some cases, we also install them to connect trail networks or provide direct access to important community spaces such as parks, schools, or other public amenities. If we install a crosswalk we add additional treatments such as signage, pedestrian islands or flashing lights to alerts drivers. Our criteria also takes into account traffic speeds, traffic volumes and the number of lanes a pedestrian must cross.

In 2022, Traffic Engineering completed a citywide intersection study. Based on that data, this intersection was not identified as a safety concern. We know safety is a shared responsibility, and we encourage everyone, whether walking or driving, to be alert, patient, and mindful of one another.

-Todd Frisbie, City Traffic Engineer

Another neighbor tells KRDO13 they got home just after the accident.

“It was really shocking to come in, you know, just driving around the corner and suddenly see my tiny little cul-de-sac roped off with all the tape and immediately looking across and seeing a little pink backpack and a water bottle, and my heart just sank immediately. You know, lots of kids travel across our cul-de-sac for school every morning, every afternoon,” said neighbor Ruble Henderson.

He said his heart breaks for the family of the little girl.

“My heart immediately went out to the family, of course, the little kid, but their family, I mean, I immediately have a sense of, oh, my goodness, this is a heavy day for her family. For her parents. So my mind initially went to obviously her and then, her parents, and then obviously, you know, my heart broke for the driver, too. I mean, I couldn’t imagine that, you know, that person feels good about this situation, which there was no indication that they did, you know, they looked pretty, pretty distraught,” said Henderson.

He also tells KRDO13 that he shares some similar safety concerns in the area.

“It’s a really busy street. It’s one of the main veins in this whole west side. So yeah, it’s certainly scary. People are regularly driving 60 plus miles an hour. You know, it’s a 35-mile-per-hour speed zone,” explained Henderson.

Overall, he said it appears to be a tragic accident.

“You blink once at the wrong moment, and these things can happen. So it’s just heartbreaking, really,” said Henderson.

The man stayed on scene and was issued a citation. KRDO13 asked police what charges the man was facing, but CSPD said they could not share the charges as of Friday afternoon.

Click here to follow the original article.

Josh Helmuth

Risley International Academy of Innovation will start the new school year with some serious new “rizz.”

The D-60 elementary school will cut the ribbon on a federally funded new innovation lab next week when students start the fall semester. Staff says it’s where project-based learning will come to life.

Creative design? Students can make professional posters and t-shirts.

Computers and video games? Students will program and code.

Travel? Students will have access to virtual reality.

Drew Hirshon works at the school. He says this lab will be a jump-start toward so many careers.

“We’re incorporating some engineering pathways for them, robotics, designing and modeling, there are some opportunities for app creation, so the cyber security side. I mean really giving students gateways to different career paths at the middle school level. So when they do get to high school they’ve been exposed. They’re ready,” he said.

Is there something or someone remarkable at your school? Tell Josh all about it: SchoolBuzz@KRDO.com.

Click here to follow the original article.

Scott Harrison

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — The Rocky Mountain Classical Academy, finishing its second week back to school, has a new crosswalk and other safety upgrades provided by a summer resurfacing project on the street in front of the school.

Crews repaved a mile of Antelope Ridge Drive — just west of Marksheffel Road, on the eastern border of Colorado Springs — between North Carefree Circle and Barnes Road.

A county spokesman said that workers patched potholes and sealed pavement cracks before applying a slurry-seal treatment to smooth the road, as well as modifying pavement striping and installing school zone lights.

Traffic at the start and end of the school day, however, still backs up along the two-lane road leading to the District 49 school.

Some parents told KRDO 13’s The Road Warrior that they have mixed feelings about whether the upgrades have made a significant difference in pedestrian safety and traffic flow.

“The traffic is worse than it ever was,” said Janella Prather, who lives in the neighborhood east of the school. “Parents who drop their kids off are completely inconsiderate. If I had known this would be turned into a school zone, I wouldn’t have bought a house here. And we were given no notification about this.”

Tom Vaupel, a homeowner on Lost Pony Place in a residential area a block south of the school, said that the project hasn’t solved the longstanding problem of traffic congestion caused by parents dropping off and picking up their kids to avoid congestion in front of the school.

“It’s been an issue since I moved here in 2016,” he explained. “We have people blocking driveways, parking in front of fire hydrants and stop signs, even parking their cars to walk to the school. There have been quite a few confrontations because of it. I wish the school would do something about it.”

The Road Warrior has reached out to the school administration for comment and is awaiting a response.

The paving project included several pull-over areas near the front of the school — for quick and convenient student pickup and drop-off — but some parents said that either they’re not used enough, or there aren’t enough of them to make a difference.

“If people actually use the school zone the way that they’re supposed to, we wouldn’t have this problem,” said Holly Dumyahn, who drives her kids to and from school. “We just saw somebody do a U-turn in the school zone. People are always in a hurry. They should leave earlier. I leave 20 minutes early, and I only live ten minutes away. People should be more patient.”

Another neighbor, Anthony Carrera, wants a stronger law enforcement presence.

“To combat speeding and illegal U-turns,” he said. “We also need a crosswalk at the intersection of Antelope Ridge and Lost Pony because that’s where most of the kids and parents cross the street to go to the school.”

Mike Rossi, who drives his child to school, describes the safety improvements as positive.

“I think (the county) did a really good job, although they may have to modify it a little bit,” he said. “But right now, I think it’s really good.”

It’s possible that with school only in its second week back in session, drivers and neighbors may simply need more time to adjust to the changes.

Click here to follow the original article.

Rob Namnoum

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — It’s a new year and a new group of players, but it’s the same Mesa Ridge swagger we’ve come to love.

“We’re gonna eat on the football field. We’re gonna eat up that scoreboard. We’re gonna eat up your quarterback, wide receiver, DB, it don’t matter”, says Mesa Ridge running back, Cameron Tertulien.

The Grizzlies have a ton of experience on their roster between returning players and transfers. Head Coach Jeremi Calip says this is as talented a squad as he’s had, and his players agree,

“This is probably the best team I’ve been on, the energy with everybody is amazing. We all have the same goals and want to win. Get to state, hopefully,” says Mesa Ridge receiver, Ja’Kehlan Watts.

Kobe Dooley adds, “We’re really tough. We’re coming in with a new mindset, a new culture. You know, our mindset right now is dominant, everything…and we want that state title.”

Tertulien asks this question, “Who can handle us? No one can really.”

Click here to follow the original article.

Mackenzie Stafford

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – Dave Gill tells KRDO13 he was concerned on Monday morning when his Chief Deputy, Tanya Burnside, was not in right on time.

“Tanya was always punctual, and she had a long commute. She was driving from Colorado Springs up to Douglas County every day. And she was always on time. Almost always. If something was interfering, if there was an accident on the highway, and she was going to be late, she would call and let us know. And in this case, obviously, she hadn’t. So we were concerned and we’re trying to call her and to find out how she was because we were worried about her,” expressed Dave Gill.

He said they were trying to call her, but there was no answer.

“Eventually, we found out at about 9:30 that she was dead, that there had been a shooting, and that there were two bodies found. And we were fairly certain at that point that one of them was hers,” explained Dave Gill.

Gill says the news devastated the entire office.

“We shut down for the day on Monday. I sent people home. We were so sad that we couldn’t function,” recounted Gill.

Gill tells KRDO13 there are a few things that compare to the loss of Tanya Burnside.

“Bluntly, it has hit me harder than all of maybe three other things in my life. My father’s funeral, when I got called on to speak unexpectedly, that was a tough one. And, when my wife was in the hospital and close to death for three days. That was a hard one. And when we lost a previous chief deputy, that was it. So I am 77.5 years old. I’ve got a few years of experience in this life. And the loss of Tanya has hit as hard as any of those others,” shared Gill.

Tanya Burnside was Gill’s right hand at the Douglas County Treasurer’s Office.

“She was my chief deputy, and she was appointed to that position because of her ability and her work ethic. She was an incredible person, a joy to be around, but a very accurate and fast worker, obviously very highly intelligent. She was able to do work faster and more accurately than I or anyone else I know. Plus, she just radiated an energy, and she was just a joy to be around,” Gill continued, “she was just a ray of sunshine. Regardless of what the difficulty or problem was that we were having to work through. She was always there, with a smile and an answer. So…it wasn’t just the capability and the intelligence. The personality was just one of those rare people that when she enters a room, she just sort of brings an aura of energy that explodes around the room and affects everyone.”

A photo of Tanya Burnside shared with KRDO13 by a friend.

Burnside was also an employee at the El Paso County Treasurer’s Office. Chuck Broerman tells KRDO13 their office is devastated and that Burnside was a beloved employee, friend and colleague.

Past colleagues also shared that when Burnside was promoted to her role at the Douglas County Treasurer’s Office, she acted as a bridge between the counties. They say she was able to connect them on projects and help the two offices work together.

Gill says the importance of Burnside’s role cannot be understated and that she was irreplaceable.

“It is an extremely important position to the county and to the people. Without the treasurer’s office, nothing is funded. No one gets paid, no roads get plowed, no potholes filled. Nothing happens. So we’re the bankers for the county. Roughly $1 billion flows through the office, every penny of which has to be adequately accounted for and disbursed appropriately. And the chief deputy is one of the chief figures. I’m an elected official. I will be termed out in a year and a half. It has to go on. So the chief deputy is the one who is responsible for that continuity, because someone new is going to come in, and it’s going to take them four years to learn the job so well, they’re learning it. Who transfers the knowledge to them, and who keeps the show running? The chief deputy is that person,” explained Gill.

Police believe 45-year-old Tanya Burnside was a victim of homicide. The deceased man, 42-year-old Bryce Tallent, is suspected to have died by suicide.

According to police, they were called out on Sunday to the 4100 block of Sod House Trail. When they arrived, they found both a man and a woman deceased.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Colorado Springs police investigating suspected murder-suicide

Anyone with additional information regarding this incident is asked to call 719-444-7000.  Police say if you wish to remain anonymous, you may call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at (719) 634-STOP (7867) or 1-800-222-8477.

Click here to follow the original article.

Bart Bedsole

A popular restaurant at Voyager and Ridgeline in North Colorado Springs was temporarily closed last week due to its violations. 

When asked about the reason for the shutdown of Shri Ganesh, a spokesperson with El Paso County Public Health said, “This closure was the result of points from observed violations, many of which were based improper food handling. This can increase the risk and likelihood of foodborne illness occurring.” 

Among the findings on Aug. 6:

There was no certified food protection manager on duty

Basic questions about when food was prepared or the required temperatures could not be answered

Some of the food wasn’t marked with a date to show when it was made.

Containers of chicken and lamb were at the wrong temperature

There was no probe thermometer to check food temperatures at the time of the inspection. 

When KRDO13 stopped by on Monday, there was a sign that said it was closed for “kitchen remodeling,” but a look inside the windows showed there was clearly no remodeling going on.

Minutes later, the owner arrived and threatened to call the police, but later agreed to take our crew inside and show what he’s done to get back into compliance. 

Raj Adhikari, who was not there at the time of the inspection, said in its 10-year history, the restaurant has never failed a health inspection. 

“I mean, it was like very surprising,” he said, “It was very… like I lost sleep basically… because I’m always the best and always had a great past.  I never had any problem.  Nobody got sick ever.” 

Adhikari added that all staff members will soon have their food safety certifications, and customers shouldn’t be concerned about eating here. 

“We are fixing everything 100%, so they can come and we will serve them professionally and with all the health department’s rules and regulations,” he said. 

Shri Ganesh was allowed to reopen on Tuesday. 

The EPCPH spokesperson told KRDO13 afterward, “Shri Ganesh was allowed to reopen on August 12 after demonstrating it had met several requirements necessary to reopen, but it still must pass a full re-inspection in the next 5-10 days to get back into good standing.”

It also passed its full re-inspection (separate from the re-opening inspection) on August 26, despite six violations found at that time.

OTHER FAILING SCORES

Juanita’s Best Mexican Food – 2356 S Academy Blvd – 14 violations 

Rodolfo’s Mexican Grill – 15932 Jackson Creek Pkwy – 10 violations 

Coal Mine Dragon – 1720 W Uintah St – 10 violations 

Pikes Poke Bowl – 9290 Highland Rdg Hts – 9 violations 

(Previously failed in July with 13 violations) 

Marriott Colorado Springs – 5580 Tech Center Dr – 8 violations 

Camin Thai Cuisine – 6760 N Academy –  8 violations 

(Previously shut down by the health department in March 2025) 

HIGH SCORES

McDonald’s – 434 Garden of the Gods 

Papa John’s – 3755 Astrozon 

Mining Exchange Hotel – 8 S. Nevada Ave 

Cerberus Brewing Company – 702 W Colorado Ave 

Cerberus is about to celebrate 10 years of offering craft food as well as craft beer. 

The food menu far exceeds most other breweries in Colorado Springs, and is complemented by 22 beers and 2 sodas currently on tap, including the popular Elysium Hazy IPA and Drake High End Lager. 

Among the most popular menu items is the smoked brisket grilled cheese, featuring house-smoked meat. 

“It’s a unique niche to be able to say you do your beer and your food equally well,” says General Manager Melisa LeFebvre. 

LeFebvre credits her high score to not only the careful hiring of their executive chef, but also the constant commitment to food safety by his entire staff, as well as head brewer Troy Johnson. 

Johnson joked that as a kid, he thought beer was made by a wizard. 

It wasn’t until later in life that he learned there were people brewing beer for a living, and credits his consistency, processes, and cleanliness for creating batch after batch of quality beers. 

“Good brewers dump bad beer,” he explained, “and I’ve only had to dump a few beers in 17 years, but when you do have one that’s bad, you dump it and move on.” 

The restaurant side of Cerberus is inspected by the county, while the brewery side is inspected by the state. 

Keep an eye out for the KRDO13 Restaurant Roundup awards to know that the kitchen inside is clean. 

To see the full list of restaurants inspected last week, click here.

Click here to follow the original article.

Celeste Springer

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office (EPSO) says that an elderly resident was able to defend themselves, warding off a home intruder in the Stratmoor Valley area.

According to EPSO, they received a 911 call from the resident just after 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. EPSO says that the resident, who lived in Stratmoor Valley Mobile Home Park, reported that a man had broken into their home.

The resident told dispatch that they asked the man to leave, but he refused. EPSO says a physical struggle ensued, and the resident stabbed the suspect.

Deputies say the suspect ran away, traversing through two yards before collapsing in a backyard.

The suspect, 37-year-old Gareth Webb, was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to EPSO.

The resident was unharmed in the scuffle, EPSO says.

EPSO says Webb, a previously convicted felon, faces the following charges:

1st degree trespassing

2nd degree burglary

2nd degree criminal trespassing

Harassment

Criminal mischief

Click here to follow the original article.

Celeste Springer

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) says that they are seeking information, believing is a possibility there could be more victims in a child sexual exploitation case.

According to police, 64-year-old Stephen Douglas King Sr. faces charges for sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust and sexual exploitation of a child.

CSPD says he was recently employed with the train at the Royal Gorge; however, it’s important to note that these alleged crimes were not in the vicinity of the train, and the reported victim was not a train patron.

“Given the routine exposure to tourists, including families with children, this release is out of an abundance of caution to ensure nobody else has experienced anything unreported,” a spokesperson with CSPD said.

A spokesperson with the Royal Gorge Route Railroad confirmed King is no longer employed with the company.

CSPD says they obtained an arrest warrant on July 31, 2025, and he was taken into custody on Aug. 4, 2025.

Detectives are actively seeking additional information, including potential unreported incidents involving Stephen King Sr. If you, or someone you know, has been a victim of Stephen King Sr., CSPD asks that you contact the Colorado Springs Police Department at 719-444-7000 or the Pikes Peak Area Crimes Stoppers at 719-634-STOP (7867).

Click here to follow the original article.

Celeste Springer

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office (EPSO) says that a domestic violence situation led to a late-night standoff on Tuesday night.

EPSO says their deputies were called around 5:30 p.m. because a victim said they had been assaulted at home near South Powers Boulevard.

Deputies identified the suspect as 32-year-old Tyler Babb and let other agencies know to be on the lookout for him.

According to EPSO, the victim called around 11:15 p.m. to inform deputies that Babb’s phone location was indicating he was back near the home. Deputies told the victim to leave, and they returned to the home.

According to EPSO, as deputies arrived, Babb entered the garage with his car and closed the garage door behind him. Deputies then parked a patrol car in front of the garage to prevent him from leaving.

EPSO said that they then heard the car engine revving inside, and the victim told deputies that Babb had sent a message saying he was “going to kill himself by CO2 poisoning.”

At that point, EPSO says deputies entered the home through the front door and entered the interior garage. Deputies allege that Babb got out of the car and charged at them. Deputies shot pepper ball rounds at him, according to EPSO.

Deputies allege that Babb got back in the car, opened the garage door, and, while trying to flee, hit the patrol car behind it. After that, deputies say they got him into custody.

Tyler Babb faces charges for third-degree assault, menacing, and harassment.

Click here to follow the original article.

Josh Helmuth

Canon City High School has some serious bragging rights as they start school this week.

The Carnegie Foundation recently named CCHS as one of the most innovative schools in the nation. Why? It has a lot to do with their Capstone Program. The school submitted this video, showcasing their innovative ways to learning.

The Carnegie Foundation included this response during its recognition of CCHS:

“Cañon City High School, the single 9-12 choice of the Cañon City School District in Colorado, serves students with a future-focused approach to education. Guided by the district’s vision of “Learning for Life,” the school emphasizes student growth and career-readiness for an ever-changing world. Instruction is grounded in clear learning targets and active engagement through project-based learning. At the same time, through a capstone requirement, students are equipped with essential traits, including innovation, integrity, and agility, as well as critical skills such as collaboration and leadership. Cañon City High School is a state leader in implementing the Big Three: concurrent enrollment, industry-standard certifications, and authentic internship experiences.”

Bill Summers is the principal at CCHS. He said, “Earning this honor stems from our staff’s hard work to transform. That entails a willingness to exemplify learning new skills, no matter what age you are. Our district’s motto is Learning for Life, and CCHS staff live it daily.”

Is there something or someone remarkable at your school? Tell Josh all about it: SchoolBuzz@KRDO.com.

Click here to follow the original article.