Larimer County Sheriffs engaged in a high-speed pursuit that reached 104 miles per hour, and culminated in the use of spike strips and a search.
At about 1:00 a.m., deputies of the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office saw a vehicle with a fictitious license plate driven by a male with a female passenger. Deputies tried to pull the car over, which led to the triple-digit speed pursuit northbound on Interstate 25.
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Driver Benjamin Weir, was arrested on 11 charges after a pursuit both in a vehicle and on foot. The female, Melanie Wind was arrested on three charges at the end of the car pursuit.
At East County Road 58, deputies laid out spike strips, successfully puncturing and deflating the passenger side tires of the suspect’s vehicle. The vehicle continued northbound, leading to officers employ the PIT maneuver, spinning the suspect vehicle into the center median.
However, Weir was able to regain control of the car and continued driving, ramming the driver’s side door of a deputy’s vehicle.
The vehicle eventually stopped near Jefferson Avenue in Wellington, where Weir fled on foot. Wind was detained by police shortly afterward.
Deputies, along with the Colorado State Patrol and Fort Collins Police Services, set a perimeter around the area to search for Weir, but were unable to find him. The search was called off shortly before 5:00 a.m.
Around 9:50 a.m., a deputy near the Burger King at Cleveland and 6th Street in Wellington was approached by a citizen and told of a suspicious man. The deputy looked into it, and recognized Weir from the earlier chase and called for backup.
Deputies attempted to deploy a Taser, but it was ineffective. Weir began running and displayed a knife. Weir was eventually surrounded by deputies in the 8500 block of Secretariat Drive where deputies successfully subdued the suspect. Weir was then identified and taken into custody.
Wind was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance and possession of an illegal weapon. Weir was given 11 charges, including attempted second-degree assault on peace officer, third-degree assault, vehicular eluding and displayed fictitious numbered plates.
Collegian reporter Stuart Smith can be reached at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @notstuartsmith.
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