Summit County sheriff’s log details $48,000 lost in scam, rescue of injured golden eagle and fight involving knife
Summit County Sheriff's Office resources also responded to a domestic violence call, a husky on the loose and vehicles that appeared to have been stolen
The Summit County Sheriff’s Office has remained busy this December investigating a scam where a local resident lost almost $50,000, assisting with the rescue of an injured golden eagle and responding to a fight involving a knife.
The following incidents occurred between Tuesday, Dec. 17, and Sunday, Dec. 22, according to the weekly log of notable calls published by the Summit County Sheriff’s Office. This week’s log also included an entry from earlier in the month that the Sheriff’s Office shared information about following an initial investigation.
On Saturday, Dec. 14, a Keystone man received a scam call from someone claiming to be with Apple in California. The scammer told him that his Apple account had been hacked and instructed him to buy a new iPhone with a new phone number so hackers couldn’t access his account. The man bought a new phone and continued to communicate with the scammer to try to figure out how to resolve the incident. Then, another unknown person called the man’s new phone, claiming to be with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The scammer convinced the man to obtain a cashier’s check from his credit union in the amount of $48,000 and convert the money into gold. The scammer posing as an FBI agent then instructed him to meet with a courier to turn over the gold for safekeeping, which the man did. The investigation is ongoing.
On Tuesday, Dec. 17, Summit County Animal Control officers assisted Colorado Parks and Wildlife with an injured golden eagle found off Colorado Highway 9 near Green Mountain Reservoir. The golden eagle was placed into a kennel and taken by officers to Silverthorne, where it was safely taken to the Birds of Prey Foundation in Broomfield, a nonprofit rehabilitation center for raptors.
On Wednesday, Dec. 18, a patron at a bar at Copper Mountain reported that a bartender took his ID and refused to give it back to him. Deputies responded and met with the bartender who explained he confiscated the ID because he believed it to be fake. Further investigation determined that the ID was real, and it was returned to its owner. Nothing criminal was found.
Also Wednesday, a resident in unincorporated Breckenridge reported hearing a knocking sound coming out of their locked garage, which was below their unit. The resident also reported a suspicious man outside who was pacing and smoking a cigarette. Deputies responded but found nobody inside the garage and spoke to the pacing man, who was a resident of the adjacent unit. Nothing criminal was found.
In another incident Wednesday, a resident in unincorporated Frisco reported that the gate to their property had either been broken into or driven into by someone. Tire tracks in the snow didn’t go all the way to their house and there were no footprints, but an estimated $2,000 in damage was done to the gate. A report was taken.
On Thursday, Dec. 19, a man reported seeing a plane spinning and smoking and then falling from the sky somewhere near Dillon and Silverthorne. An investigation revealed that the man had been mistaken about what he witnessed and there was no plane crash. Deputies called the Federal Aviation Administration, which confirmed that they had not received any reports of a plane in distress. Deputies were unable to find any evidence of a plane crash.
On Friday, Dec. 20, Animal Control officers received information about a scared husky on the loose in the Keystone area that would not approach anyone trying to catch it. The officers were able to lure the dog with whistles and a squeaky toy before slipping a lead around its neck. The dog had a collar but no tags or microchip. The husky was impounded at the Summit County Animal Shelter without incident.
On Saturday, Dec. 21, a daughter requested a welfare check on her elderly mother because she had not responded to multiple attempts to contact her that day. Deputies arrived at the mother’s residence and she told them she was OK and hadn’t responded because she had been sleeping.
Also Saturday, deputies were called early in the morning to a condo in Wildernest for a complaint about a vehicle that was double parked, stopping others from leaving the parking lot. Before responding, deputies attempted to contact the owner of the vehicle using information given by the caller with no luck. The caller was advised that the homeowners association would need to tow the vehicle because it was on private property, but deputies responded to see if there was any way to help. On scene, they found a vehicle with its back window shattered, with a damaged ignition lock that was smashed into the steering column. A tow company arrived on scene and removed the vehicle so the residents could get in and out of the lot. A few hours later, deputies revised a report of another vehicle nearby that had been running for more than an hour with its windows down. The second vehicle also had ignition damage and deputies determined that it was likely stolen and abandoned. Both incidents are under investigation.
In another incident on Saturday, three roommates in Keystone got in a fight while relaxing in their hot tub, resulting in one man pulling a knife and holding it to the throat of one of the roommates. The roommate, who the Sheriff’s Office says feared for his life, then punched the man with the knife and put him in a choke hold, causing him to lose consciousness briefly. When he became conscious again, the man with the knife left and the remaining two roommates called 911. At some point the man with the knife sustained a knife wound to his leg and when interviewed by deputies he didn’t remember the fight at all, according to the Sheriff’s Office. He was transported to St. Anthony Summit Hospital for treatment before being transported to the Summit County Jail the next day on charges of assault and felony menacing.
On Sunday, a resident in Dillon Valley reported hearing a lot of yelling near their unit and feared that a fight might break out. Deputies contacted the occupants of the nearby unit and the owner told them that he had a friend over whom he had to kick out because he became too drunk and belligerent. Nothing physical occurred but when deputies ran the intoxicated man’s information through the system, it showed he had an active restraining order which prohibited him from consuming alcohol. The man smelled of alcohol, was slurring his speech and was visibly intoxicated, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Deputies placed him into custody and transported him to the county jail for a violation of his restraining order.
Also Sunday, deputies responded to a residence after receiving a report of a disturbance between a couple with a child who were arguing. The man had come home and wanted to see his child but the woman refused to let him because he was intoxicated. The man then punched and kicked a bedroom door, causing damage, and struck the woman, according to the Sheriff’s Office. A roommate in the home took the man outside at which point the man got into his car and reportedly drove it into the woman’s car. He left the scene but deputies found him shortly thereafter and arrested him on several charges including domestic violence, assault, child abuse and driving under the influence. He was booked in the county jail.

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