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Man arrested in Frisco after allegedly hitting police officers with car, fleeing the scene

Russ B. Ashley, 43.
Photo from Summit County Sheriff’s Office

A Kansas man is facing felony assault and vehicular eluding charges after allegedly hitting two Frisco police officers with a car and fleeing, according to police records.

Russ Ashley, 43, was arrested last month following an ordinary traffic stop that turned violent off Frisco Main Street. Just after midnight on March 19, Frisco officers initiated a traffic stop after noticing a Ford Mustang swerve into another lane without signaling while traveling south on Colorado Highway 9. According to the report, the driver continued south on the highway at a slow speed and eventually turned onto Main Street where he pulled into an empty parking spot west of Seventh Avenue.

After stopping, the driver identified himself to police as Russ Ashley. The report noted that officers believed Ashley might have been driving under the influence, and they spotted a pipe “in plain view” inside the car that could be used to ingest narcotics. Officers informed Ashley that they were placing him under arrest, opened the driver-side door and asked him to step out. It was then that the incident turned violent.



The police report alleges Ashley hit the car’s gas pedal, which revved the engine but didn’t move the vehicle because it was in neutral. Officers then grabbed Ashley and tried to pull him out, but he was able to place the car into gear and accelerate in reverse. The report notes that two Frisco officers were hit by the car and were “pushed violently backwards by the Mustang” into a patrol vehicle. Both officers said they feared for their lives during the incident, and they described “intense pain” after being pinned between the vehicles.

The Mustang’s driver-side door bent forward during the collision, and Ashley then allegedly pulled forward and sped away heading west on Main Street. Officers entered their cars and chased the suspect as he zoomed through town at more than 80 mph blowing through stop signs.



The Mustang came to an abrupt stop at the North Tenmile Creek Trailhead, on the far end of Main Street past the Interstate 70 ramps. A patrol vehicle slammed into the back of the Mustang. Ashley exited the car and ran up the trail, according to the report. He ran off the trail and into deeper snow where he fell down and an officer caught up with him.

According to the report, Ashley refused to give the officer his hands until the officer “delivered multiple strikes,” at which point Ashley stopped resisting and was placed in custody.

Back at the parking lot, officers contacted a woman in the passenger seat of Ashley’s car. The woman said she didn’t need any medical assistance and was also placed in custody. Additional officers with the Silverthorne Police Department and the Summit County Sheriff’s Office arrived shortly after to assist in bringing Ashley off the trail and to document the scene of the collision on Main Street.

Two officers were transported to St. Anthony Summit Medical Center via ambulance for leg injuries.

“Fortunately, they were both OK,” Frisco Police Chief Tom Wickman said. “They were bruised up, but they were back to work the next day.”

On scene, officers were informed that Ashley had a felony warrant for his arrest out of Kansas for possession of amphetamines. They also learned that his driving status was not valid at the time of the arrest.

Fifth Judicial District Attorney Heidi McCollum said Ashley has been charged with several felonies, including vehicular eluding, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, criminal mischief and two counts of assault. Ashley has also been charged with misdemeanor counts of obstructing a peace officer and resisting arrest in addition to several traffic citations.

He is scheduled for a virtual status conference hearing on the case Monday, April 19.

 


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