Adams County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a Denver Sheriff’s Office deputy following a hit-and-run in which the deputy reported his vehicle stolen. The deputy later admitted to crashing the car. 

Jeremiah Espinoza-Young, 30, was arrested by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office on charges of attempting to influence a public servant, false reporting to authorities, leaving the scene after striking unattended property and careless driving following an incident that occurred on Jan. 1.

Espinoza-Young became a deputy sheriff in 2016 and is assigned to the Denver County Jail, according to the Denver Sheriff’s Office.

Aurora police responded to a call of a vehicle crash at 1925 Tower Road around 7 a.m. Jan. 1. A white 2023 Subaru Legacy had struck a concrete barrier and pole at the nearby King Soopers warehouse, resulting in approximately $15,000 in damages, according to arrest records.

The person reported the crash around 3 a.m. and told police that he saw a 5’7″ man weighing around 200 pounds. The man was on the phone and began walking away from the scene when the witness approached.

The registered owner of the vehicle, Espinoza-Young, is listed as 5’7″ and 195 pounds, according to the records. 

The vehicle’s license plate did not match the vanity plate registered with the Subaru, though.

Detectives traveled to Espinoza-Young’s listed address and spoke with his brother. His brother claimed that Espinoza-Young does not live at the address anymore, but did call him around 3 a.m. on Jan. 1. The brother was asleep and didn’t answer the call.

The suspect’s mother also claimed that he called her around 2:30 a.m., but she also didn’t answer.

Espinoza-Young called the Aurora Police Department around 11 a.m. Jan. 1 and reported his vehicle stolen. He also allegedly claimed to have filed a stolen vehicle report with the Denver Police. Espinoza-Young noted that he woke up at 10 a.m. and found the vehicle stolen. He denied crashing it the evening before and said he called his family around 3 a.m. to wish them Happy New Year because he had just woken up, according to records.

On Jan. 3, Espinoza-Young admitted to a detective that he was driving the vehicle during the crash, records show. He said he had been hanging out with friends and fell asleep while driving home, crashing into the barrier. He claimed to have panicked and fled the scene, though he said he did not have alcohol in his system. 

The Denver Sheriff’s Office placed Espinoza-Young on investigatory leave on Jan. 3. He is set for an appearance on bond hearing in the Adams County District Court on Feb. 26.