Author: Nicholas Fogleman
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Parker officers who fired 31 rounds used justifiable force, report said
Parker police officers who fired 31 rounds within four seconds, killing an armed suspect, used a justifiable amount of force, according to a report by the 23rd Judicial District Attorney’s Office. District Attorney George Brauchler determined the officers “reasonably believed” that Pierre James Dyer, 32, posed “an imminent threat of deadly physical force” when he…
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Castle Rock man in custody after fleeing state before sexual assault conviction
A Castle Rock man who fled the state after being convicted of sexually abusing a child was arrested Sunday in Chaparral, N.M., authorities said. Jorge Alberto Campos, 42, failed to appear in court Friday, when a jury found him guilty of five counts of sexual assault on a child as part of a pattern of…
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$8 million biochar facility in DougCo set to open in September
Douglas County is set to operate the first county-run biochar facility in the nation after the county Planning Commission approved the project’s location and extent application. The $8 million facility is expected to open in September in Sedalia. “It was a huge opportunity to acquire this site,” Dan Roberts, assistant director of Douglas County Public…
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Former Douglas County teacher sentenced for sexual exploitation of a child
A former teacher at STEM Highlands Ranch was sentenced to 14 years in prison Thursday for sexually exploiting a child, authorities said. Tera Johnson-Swartz, 45, pleaded guilty in January to sexual exploitation of a child and one count of felony cybercrime. The charges stem from a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student, according to a…
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Littleton City Council recommends Mineral Station for passenger rail stop
The Littleton City Council recommended Mineral Station as the site for a proposed Front Range Passenger Rail stop after weighing it against a downtown station. Both options would integrate the stop into the city’s existing Regional Transportation District light rail stations. “We’re very fortunate that the district has designated Littleton as, potentially, a South Metro…
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Guilty verdict closes 1996 Denver murder
Jurors closed a 30-year-old cold case when they convicted a man of first-degree murder on Tuesday for the 1996 death of Terri Turachak. Ricky Dawson was 35 years old at the time of the murder, according to a news release from the Denver District Attorney’s Office. He faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison…
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Douglas County approves DA’s participation in regional forensic lab
Douglas County Commissioners voted unanimously to formalize the 23rd Judicial District Attorney’s Office’s participation in the Unified Forensic Laboratory. The UFL provides DNA analysis and other laboratory services to the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, Aurora Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and Colorado’s 18th Judicial District. Under the agreement approved March 10, the DA’s office, which…
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Elbert County man sentenced to 20 years for assaulting wife
An Elbert County man was sentenced to 20 years in prison after violently assaulting his wife in 2025. Joseph Rivera, 43, was found guilty of first-degree felony assault and sentenced by District Court Judge Theresa Slade, according to a news release from the 23rd Judicial District Attorney’s Office. In July 2025, Elbert County Sheriff’s Office…
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Douglas County senior housing development advances
Douglas County commissioners unanimously approved a zoning request to advance an affordable senior housing complex in Highlands Ranch on March 10, citing housing affordability and a growing senior population. Preliminary plans include a 165-unit apartment building on Plaza Drive. John Kilrow, senior vice president of Colorado development at Shea Properties, requested approval to establish the…
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Snow blankets region as forecasters warn of heat ahead
A snowstorm dropped 10 inches of snow in parts of the region Sunday, while forecasters warn of potentially record-breaking heat next weekend. Snowfall ranged from 0.9 inches at the Denver International Airport to 10 inches outside of Larkspur, according to the National Weather Service. Cities north of Denver received between 1 and 2 inches of…