Category: krdo-local-news

Scott Harrison

TELLER COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) —The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) plans to start paving operations Wednesday on a 12-mile stretch of US 24, from just west of Woodland Park to just east of Florissant.

That has some drivers, who are already concerned about traffic congestion so far, wondering how much worse it could get — especially with the Fourth of July holiday weekend approaching.

The situation reached a head on Sunday, June 8, when dozens of drivers reported being stuck in a massive traffic backup in the eastbound lane between Divide and Florissant.

Drivers said that crossing the eight-mile stretch, which usually takes around ten minutes, took an hour or longer.

“I actually got stuck in that traffic,” said David Autrey, a volunteer firefighter in nearby Lake George, in Park County. ” It took me four-and-a-half hours to get from Woodland Park to Lake George. A normal 25- to 30-minute drive. It’s made it so that we don’t go down the mountain unless we have to.”

The affected segment of US 24 is winding and narrow, having only one lane in each direction, little roadside space to pull over, and no rest stops.

Drivers said that travel was particularly heavy that day, but they also wondered if construction cones along the route were a factor in the traffic congestion — even though crews don’t work on Sundays.

In fact, anticipating heavy weekend summer traffic, crews don’t work between noon on Fridays and 7 a.m. on Mondays.

Drivers also wonder if traffic signals at the US 24/Highway 67 intersection weren’t properly synchronized to move traffic efficiently.

A CDOT spokeswoman said that she was aware of some traffic backups, but didn’t say whether the agency plans to make any traffic changes in the area.

On Monday afternoon during rush hour, KRDO 13’s The Road Warrior drove along the affected stretch and found alternating lane closures in one area; a flagger directed traffic, and a pace car led drivers through in one direction at a time.

The traffic delay from the closures was no longer than ten minutes; a short time later, the closures ended for the day.

So far, the only visible changes from construction are a new center median and a repaved left turn lane for eastbound US 24 drivers at the Highway 67 intersection.

The $12 million project includes replacing guardrails to meet new safety standards and upgrading curbs and gutters.

Crews are scheduled to start repaving on Wednesday at the east end of the project, between Divide and Florissant; much of the work will be during daylight hours, with occasional overnight work.

“Is it worth it? Do we really need to pave this?” Autrey asked. “If they’re going to widen it, sure. But if all they’re doing is repaving it, not at all. The road’s OK. There are a few potholes that can be fixed, but nothing that calls for what they’re doing now.”

The Road Warrior spoke with several merchants in Divide who said that they’re aware of the recent traffic congestion but have experienced no negative impacts so far.

“That may change once the paving starts,” one merchant remarked.

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KRDO News

MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Colorado Springs is an area filled with stunning views and adventurous trails. It’s a great place to make memories, and one Ohio couple decided to commemorate their trip to the incline.

Colton Reed and his then-girlfriend hiked the nearly 2,800 steps up the incline. He got down on one knee and popped the question. She, of course, said yes!

KRDO13 was able to catch up to the newly engaged couple to hear how their special moment came together for the surprise engagement. 

“Some friends and I were talking about it and said, ‘Hey, if you were gonna propose, that would be the perfect spot,'” said Colton.

“My daughter even knew about it, my 8-year-old– Showed her the ring and everything. Knew about the thing the whole time and kept it a secret from mom,” said McKaya Justus.

Colton and McKaya say they’ve known each other for years, and that they spend a lot of time working out together — which includes hiking.

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Celeste Springer

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — The City of Colorado Springs says North Cheyenne Canyon Road will remain closed as crews work on repairs following a road washout. In the meantime, Gold Camp Road is only accessible to residents, as officials say it serves as their only way to and from their homes.

Early this month, part of North Cheyenne Canyon Road crumbled following a large rain event in El Paso County. The head of the City of Colorado Springs’ stormwater capital group said at the time that the nearby creek swelled to its highest level in 10 years.

Photo: City of Colorado Springs, June 4, 2025

“We know the importance of that road for both residents who reside in the Cañon and people who use it recreationally,” City Engineer Gayle Sturdivant said in a press release. “We’re working towards getting the road reopened but doing so in a way that ensures everyone’s safety.”

Right now, crews say they are working to stabilize the creek channel. After that, they can start on road repairs; no word yet on an official start date for that work. However, city officials say they should have a better idea of a work timeline in the next few weeks.

Photo: City of Colorado Springs, June 17, 2025

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Celeste Springer

Editor’s note: A previous version of this story contained a live stream of special coverage from ABC News, but the live stream has since ended.

According to President Donald Trump on Truth Social, Israel and Iran have agreed to a “complete and total ceasefire.”

Trump posted the following statement on Truth Social today, June 23, announcing the update:

Trump says that within 24 hours, an official end to the 12-day war will begin.

According to Trump, “This is a War that could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn’t, and never will!”

Multiple missiles were fired from Iran toward U.S. military installations in Qatar and Iraq, two officials familiar with the matter said.

The Qatari Defence Ministry said that Qatari air defenses “successfully intercepted” a missile attack targeting Al Udeid Air Base. The Qatari foreign minister said there were no injuries as a result of the attempted attack, according to ABC News.

pic.twitter.com/qSS96ITYAT

— وزارة الدفاع – دولة قطر (@MOD_Qatar) June 23, 2025

According to a White House official, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine joined President Trump in the Situation Room on Monday morning.

On Monday afternoon, President Trump said Iran fired 14 missiles, but 13 were intercepted. He said one was “set free,” as it was heading in a nonthreatening direction.

“I am pleased to report that NO Americans were harmed, and hardly any damage was done. Most importantly, they’ve gotten it all out of their ‘system,’ and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE,” wrote President Trump on Truth Social. “I want to thank Iran for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost, and nobody to be injured.”

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Celeste Springer

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) says they worked with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office (EPSO) and Colorado State Patrol (CSP) earlier this month to target dangerous and illegal driving.

On Monday, the agency announced numbers from an organized enforcement period during which they targeted individuals engaging in street racing, speeding, or driving under the influence.

“Street racing and reckless driving continue to pose serious risks to our community,” said Adrian Vasquez, Chief of Police for CSPD, in a press release. “Our department, in partnership with EPSO and CSP, remains committed to proactive enforcement efforts aimed at reducing these dangerous behaviors and keeping our roads safe for all.”

CSPD says 54 members of staff across the three different law enforcement agencies were focused on the effort on Friday, June 6.

CSPD says in total, they made contact with 138 people. 22 were given warnings, 33 were given tickets for speeding; six of whom got tickets for speed contest/exhibition.

Police say nine people were arrested. Six of them were for driving under the influence, two for outstanding warrants, and one for felony eluding. In the felony eluding case, police say a person on a motorcycle refused to pull over for officers, but was later caught.

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Karla Sosa

PUEBLO WEST, Colo. (KRDO)- A woman from Pueblo West is asking for help from the community in hopes that someone will be a match and be a kidney donor.     

According to the Health Resources and Services Administration, every 8 minutes, another person is added to the transplant waiting list.

Christina Maldonado said that back in 2016, she was diagnosed with stage three Chronic Kidney Disease. Last week, when she went to see her doctor, she received some devastating news. 

“They told me to go ahead and start looking for a kidney donor,” said Maldonado. “Right now, my GRF is at a 15, so when I talked to the surgeons at UC Health, they told me that they. I probably should have gotten on a lot sooner for the transplant list.”

Maldonado said she’s had to limit her favorite pastime. 

“I like to spend time with my grandkids and stuff, but it’s hard because I’m always tired and exhausted all the time,” said Maldonado

Once Maldonado and her husband Alex got the heartbreaking news, family and friends started to see if someone was a match.

“They started going through the process to see if they’re compatible. I’m A+ and, so my family members are different blood types,” said Maldonado

Maldonado is staying true to their wedding vows, ‘through sickness and health,’ and is always by her side.

“Sometimes I miss work, so I could go to her appointments. A lot of it’s traveling to UC Health,” said Maldonado. “The fight’s not over. We’re still fighting, and we’re going to continue fighting until we find it.”

Christina said if she can’t find a kidney donor, she could be on the donor wait-list for up to 7 years. 

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Karla Sosa

FALCON, Colo. (KRDO)- A horse that’s won several world champion barrel races was diagnosed with severe arthritis and needs emergency surgery.

KRDO13 talked with Kendall Halberg she’s the owner of Fancy. Halberg said that seeing her beloved horse in this condition is heartbreaking. She’s doing side jobs to raise money for the surgery that will cost $17,000.

Halberg and her horse Fancy have been inseparable since day one; together they’ve won several competitions.

“Her mother’s name was Ruby, and Ruby died giving birth to her. So she died two weeks after she was born. So I had a bottle to feed her as a baby,” said Halberg. “She is a two-time world champion, three-time world champion barrel racer.”

Last November, Fancy was diagnosed with severe arthritis. Now, it’s making it a lot harder for her to walk.

“Sometimes she’s limped around with three legs because she can’t put pressure on her left leg at all. So she’s putting all of her weight on her right leg. So they’re going to put some sort of a splint in there to help her balance better, to take out all of the bone spurs in her kneecap,” said Halberg.

Halberg said she goes through so many emotions every single day seeing her horse in so much pain. 

“I will just start crying emotionally every single night because I don’t want to have to make the hard decision for her because I don’t want her to be in pain every day, to have to put her to sleep,” said Halberg.

Halberg hopes that Fancy can get her surgery by the end of the summer, otherwise she’ll be forced to put Fancy down. 

She’s also created an online fundraiser to help raise money for the surgery.

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Michael Logerwell

LAKE PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – A drowning death in Lake Pueblo yesterday marked the fourth at the lake this year – and summer only just began.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) confirmed Friday morning that the body of an adult male was recovered from the lake hours after search efforts began. The person, who has not yet been identified, had flipped off of an inflatable tube and was not wearing a lifejacket, the agency confirmed.

READ MORE: Colorado Parks and Wildlife locates body of presumed drowning victim at Lake Pueblo

It marks the fourth death at the lake since mid-May.

Back on May 14, 53-year-old Manuel DeJesus Villanueva Miranda died after going into the lake to help his two children. Just two weeks later, on May 30, Derrick Lee Vigil, 28, drowned when a fishing boat that he was on capsized. CPW says Vigil and the two others on the boat weren’t wearing a life jacket.

Then on June 7, 44-year-old Daniel Strawn was found unconscious after jumping into the lake without a life jacket. Despite CPR efforts, he was later pronounced dead.

So, what’s the reason behind so many recent drownings at Lake Pueblo – and what are local officials doing to combat this concerning pattern?

To gain some clarity on the matter, KRDO13 Investigates spoke with Susanne Divelbiss, the current CSU-Pueblo Swim and Dive Head Coach, who has been teaching or coaching swimming for four decades.

Divelbiss thinks people underestimate how hard it is to swim in open water.

“The pool has lane lines, the pool walls, the pool, [and] lifeguards. So when you eliminate all of those things, then somebody thinks, oh, yeah, I can swim. But now they’re in the water, now they’re panicking, and there’s no wall to go to,” Divelbiss said. “There’s a lot of factors involved with swimming in a lake as opposed to in a pool, which is a very controlled environment.”

“Typically, pool temperatures are kept around between 79 and 82. The lake temperature, I think, is currently at about 68 to 70. It feels great when you get into it because it’s hot out, but it definitely takes a toll. It takes your breath away a little bit,” Divelbiss said.

KRDO13 Investigates asked Colorado Parks and Wildlife about the troubling trend of drownings this summer.

Becky Buist, Lake Pueblo State  Park Operations Manager, told our station in a statement:

“The single most important thing for any water recreation activity is to wear a life jacket. A life jacket will keep your airway clear of water and keep your head above water. It will also support your body should you stop swimming or lose consciousness.”

Divelbiss says further education about swimming in the lake could be part of the solution to curtail drowning deaths – but says, above all, wearing life jackets saves lives.

RELATED: CPW adds new life jacket loaner stations at Lake Pueblo for Memorial Day Weekend

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Celeste Springer

Officials held a press conference with the latest updates on Friday evening. You can watch above.

CHAFFEE COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – Barry Morphew, the Salida man accused of killing his wife, Suzanne, in 2020 has been indicted and charged with first-degree murder, the 12th Judicial District Attorney’s Office has confirmed.

On May 10, 2020, Morphew supposedly went on a bike ride in Chaffee County and never returned. A neighbor reported her missing, and her bike and helmet were eventually found along the side of the road the day she disappeared.

A year after her disappearance, her husband, Barry, was arrested and charged with murder – but the case was dismissed in 2022.

The case faced a tumultuous journey, with accounts from those involved saying it was botched due to the actions of Linda Stanley, the prosecutor on the case, who was later disbarred. Morphew’s defense said that Stanley’s team hid evidence from the defense.

@krdo__13 Today, Barry Morphew was indicted by a grand jury in the case of his wife’s alleged murder. Morphew was accused once before, but the case was dropped following a legal battle. More than a year after charges were dropped, investigators found Suzanne Morphew’s body, and what they say is new evidence. With this latest indictment, the case is able to move to trial. Read more on the KRDO website. #colorado #coloradosprings #salida #morphew #suzannemorphew ♬ original sound – KRDO13

Though the case was dismissed, it was known that it could be retried if new evidence came to light. Suzanne’s remains were later found in 2023, leaving many to wonder if the break in the case would allow for it to head to court once again.

When her body was found, the coroner determined Morphew died by “homicide by unspecified means in the setting of butorphanol, azaperone, and medetomidine (BAM) intoxication,” – three drugs commonly used as animal sedatives.

Now, over two years later, new information tied to those sedatives has led Morphew to be charged once again for her murder.

According to an indictment, law enforcement located a locked gun safe in the Morphew residence, which held a tranquilizer rifle. Investigators also discovered packages of darts in the safe, and found a needle cap for one of those darts in the Morphews’ dryer.

After Suzanne’s autopsy confirmed the presence of the chemical mixture BAM in her system, investigators obtained records for those with BAM prescriptions in the area where the Morphews lived, as well as in the area where her body was found.

Those records showed that at the time Suzanne disappeared, just one private citizen living in that area of the state had access to the chemical mixture – Barry Morphew.

According to the indictment, Morphew had obtained and filled several BAM prescriptions just months before moving to Colorado. BAM is only sold by one company in the U.S. and can only be obtained by prescription from a veterinarian, and agencies enforce tight regulations to monitor the chemical’s prescription and use, the indictment reads.

Read the full indictment here.

Friends of Suzanne tell KRDO13 they’ve waited for this indictment, but say the details are hard to read.

“It was pretty horrid to read that that was found in her body, because that’s a pretty slow death. It wasn’t easy,” Tisha Leewaye said.

According to the 12th Judicial District Grand Jury, Barry Morphew was taken into custody in Arizona on June 20, 2025. Prosecutors plan to extradite him to Colorado.

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