Category: krdo-local-news

KRDO News

Pueblo, Colo (KRDO) – The two teens who escaped from a detention facility in Colorado Springs on Sept. 22 have been arrested.

Courtesy: Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office

PREVIOUS REPORTING: Search underway after two teens considered ‘dangerous’ escape from youth detention center

Early this morning, deputies with the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office, along with U.S. Marshals, followed a tip to an apartment on the 1000th Block of W. 13th Street. There, they found the two 17-year-olds, Dameron Carbajal and Cristian Jaramillo.

Deputies say several other individuals were in the home, and many attempted to flee through a window when officers arrived.

During the sweep of the apartment, detectives say they found the following:

Three Glock handguns with extended magazines – one modified to be fully automatic

AR-style rifle with a high-capacity magazine

Additional firearms

An open safe containing suspected narcotics

A large amount of cash

Digital scales

Other items consistent with drug distribution

Courtesy: Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office

Law enforcement reports that 22-year-old Dylan Vanluven was arrested on scene for an unrelated warrant out of El Paso County, along with Guadalupe Valdez, 38, on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear and possession of a controlled substance.

Courtesy: Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office

Courtesy: Pueblo Police Department

Carbajal was serving a 5-year prison sentence for attempted murder at the time of the escape, and Jaramillo was serving four years for kidnapping, according to law enforcement.

They are both now booked into the Pueblo County jail. 

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Bradley Davis

Cañon City, Colorado – A leaf peaking expert from Cañon City said this weekend is the prime time to see the changing colors in Southern Colorado, while the leaves up north along I-70 start to fall.

“Southern Colorado, it’s just a hidden gem down here,” said Colorado Jeep Tours owner Will Colon.

An overloaded I-70 has become an annual fall tradition as thousands pack onto the narrow mountain highway to get a look at the changing aspens. It came to a head a couple of weekends ago when the town of Georgetown was so gridlocked that it closed its roads and started turning travelers away, according to our Denver news partners.

Colon said the southern Colorado roads are much less trafficked. He said there are two things to consider when searching for changing leaves: How high you are, and how far North/South you are. The lower in elevation and further South you go, the later “peak season” tends to hit.

Colon said driving to Cripple Creek from Highway 24 in Colorado Springs, or the less-traveled county roads from Cañon City, are two strong Southern Colorado leaf peeping routes. Hit 24 earlier, then go from Cañon City later in the season. He has his own secret spots he takes people on for his tours, but he said he expects the Bishop Castle area in Rye to have a really strong scene this weekend.

“You never get tired of it. It’s always a wonderful experience,” Colon said.

Colon said he expects this weekend to be the last peak weekend for leaf peeping in the Cañon City area. He said if you miss it and are desperate to get one last look at fall foliage, your best bet is to keep heading south.

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Celeste Springer

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — CSEA, the teachers’ union representing some teachers in District 11 (D11), held a press conference ahead of Wednesday’s strike. You can watch below:

Unionized teachers plan to walk to Acacia Park in protest after the school board decided back in December to let their master agreement expire.

Some parents decided to keep students at home on Wednesday, though the district has assured families that they are supplied with substitutes who will be stepping in. The district estimates that about one-third of D11 teachers are unionized, which means that some students may have their assigned teacher for regular instruction. D11 told KRDO13 in a previous report that they expect instruction to carry on like any other day.

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Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — KRDO 13 will have a crew outside Palmer High School for the beginning of today’s planned teachers strike in School District 11 (D-11)

Around 600 teachers, a third of D-11’s total teaching staff, are expected to walk the picket lines at several schools starting at 7 a.m.

The Colorado Education Association — the teachers’ union — said in a release on Tuesday that union members from across Colorado will join the D-11 striking teachers as a show of support.

Striking teachers have also scheduled a rally at 2:30 p.m. in Acacia Park, across the street from Palmer.

Schools will remain open, with classes led by substitute teachers and staff.

D-11’s superintendent said that it will be a normal day for students.

The striking teachers are demanding higher pay and smaller class sizes — something the district said it has already provided.

D-11 administrators strongly oppose the strike.

What seems to be an obvious question is whether striking for just a single day will make a significant difference in resolving issues between teachers and administrators.

KRDO 13 will ask teachers that question during a news conference scheduled for 7 a.m. Wednesday.

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Mackenzie Stafford

TELLER COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — The son of Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell has been charged with a DUI, according to records. Chase Mikesell, who is also a Teller County jail deputy, was arrested by Colorado State Patrol (CSP) after he allegedly rear-ended a car in Divide on August 3rd, CSP says.

Following his arrest, he was taken to Manitou Springs for a breathalyzer test, where court records show he blew almost twice the legal limit: 0.149 for his BAC test.

In addition to the DUI charge, troopers also allegedly found a gun inside Chase Mikesell’s glove box.

13 Investigates has learned that he also faces a charge for possession of that weapon.

According to the sheriff’s office, he has not been placed on administrative leave. The sheriff’s office says he will continue to work unless he is convicted of a crime.

We are aware the charges alleged against Deputy Mikesell and it is in the initial stage of the court process. We have not received the documents supporting the allegations and he is entitled to due process the same as anyone else. We are tracking this administratively and will respond no differently than we would for any other employee.

– Commander Kevin Tedesco, Teller County Sheriff’s Office

A spokesperson with the sheriff’s office also told 13 Investigates that they “will not be sending an employee photo [of Chase Mikesell].”

The Teller County personnel manual has a policy for hiring relatives. It says that no close family relationship can exist between county employees if one relative would supervise or discipline another. An excerpt from the manual is included below:

E. EMPLOYMENT OF RELATIVES (ANTI-NEPOTISM POLICY):

A relative will not automatically be excluded from Teller County employment. However, no close family relationship can exist between County employees if:

One relative would have the authority to supervise, appoint, remove, discipline or evaluate the performance of another; or

One relative would be responsible for reviewing or auditing the work of another; or

Circumstances exist which would place the employees in a situation of an actual or reasonably foreseeable conflict between the county’s interest and their own, or the perception of a conflict of interest.

The exclusion from employment should be limited to the job, work area, shop or unit where the reason for exclusion exists. This policy does not bar the person from the whole work force, unless the reason for exclusion applies to the whole work force.

If such a relationship occurs or will occur, the employees will be asked to determine which employee shall keep or accept his/her position. If a mutually agreeable solution cannot be reached between the County and the employees the County may require one employee to resign 60 days after the employees become in violation of this policy.

For the purposes of the nepotism policy, a relative shall include any immediate family member by blood or marriage (i.e., spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, grandchild and any in-law). A close relationship shall include: guardian, co-resident, and legal dependent.

Involved employees who fail to disclose knowledge of any situation or potential situation in conflict with this policy are subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

However, the sheriff’s office has its own policies outside of the county’s. A spokesperson for the office told us they do not have a policy regarding the hiring of relatives. They say, as far as hiring practices go, Teller County Sheriff’s Office employees work for an elected official. The elected official is Sheriff Jason Mikesell, Chase Mikesell’s father.

Chase Mikesell is expected to be in court next week for his arraignment, where he is likely to enter a plea. The sheriff’s office says that if he is found guilty, then administrative action will be taken.

13 Investigates reached out to Chase Mikesell for comment. He declined.

We also reached out to Sheriff Mikesell, who is running for governor. He did not return our call as of the publication of this article.

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Celeste Springer

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Volunteers came together for a service project to benefit the Salvation Army’s Family Hope Center, according to a release by the Salvation Army.

Officials say volunteers reorganized, cleaned, and painted parts of the space, which is located off Sierra Madre Street.

Courtesy: Sondra N. Rymer, Salvation Army Development & Public Relations Manager

According to the Salvation Army, the Family Hope Center provides housing to 31 different families each night. More than housing, the center says it provides meals, job training, and emotional support to families so they can eventually get a place on their own.

Volunteers were mobilized to beautify the center in a community initiative dubbed “COSILOVEYOU.” According to their website, COSILOVEYOU unites churches, ministries, and city leaders together.

“We are globally connected but also wanting to be locally relevant by serving and engaging in practical ways that make a tangible difference,” said Dean Carlson, President of One Challenge, in a press release. “As an organization, we felt we could be part of something bigger in Colorado Springs by supporting the Salvation Army Family Hope Center.”

Volunteers also came from Colorado Springs Utilities, according to the Salvation Army.

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Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) has started a second project on Austin Bluffs Parkway, west of Academy Boulevard, that will result in reducing traffic to one lane in both directions.

The latest project covers around a half-mile eastbound, from American Drive to just west of Academy; the two closed lanes reopen as they approach the Academy intersection.

Crews are realigning water lines as part of the ongoing project to relocate utility lines to build the Central Bluffs electric substation slightly west, and it currently has two lanes closed between Meadowland Boulevard and Brenner Place.

CSU began shifting lanes and placing barriers for the new project on Monday morning and started excavating work in the afternoon.

In a separate project within the work zone, crews will also replace a water valve and a fire hydrant, requiring four businesses to lose water service until the scheduled completion of both projects on Friday.

CSU is supplying or offering water to the affected businesses.

“There are approximately 3 to 4 businesses that will be without water service,” said CSU spokesperson Jennifer Jordan. “But we have offered alternative sources of water for these businesses. They will be open. We encourage people to still visit them, although there may be slightly different access to get to their parking lots.”

Complicating the parking lot access was paving work happening there; however, it appeared to have been completed by Monday evening.

The manager of a Fazoli’s restaurant said that the paving and lane closures made for slow business on Monday.

The utility stated that crews will work 24 hours a day until the project is completed.

The westbound lane closures along the substation project will continue through November, and the substation should be operating by the end of next year.

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Rob Namnoum

Highlights from day one of the Class 2A boys golf championships.

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Rob Namnoum

Top prep performances for the week of October 1st.

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