AURORA | Aurora police are asking the public to help find the driver of a red pickup truck involved in an early-Wednesday high-speed chase across metro interstates that included police taking gunfire from a second pickup that was run off the road.
The incident started at about 1:30 a.m. when someone called police to say two people in a red Chevrolet pickup truck had pulled a gun on the victim near East 32nd Avenue and Carson Street in Aurora, Aurora police spokesperson Agent Matthew Longshore said in a statement.
Police heading to the area spotted the red truck going east on East Colfax Avenue, Aurora Police Division Chief Kevin Barnes said at a press conference at city hall Wednesday afternoon.
The red truck turned onto southbound I-225 from Colfax at about 1:45 a.m., and the police car tailed it, Barnes said.
While both cars were southbound on I-225, two people in a white pickup truck “inserted” their truck between the police car and the red pick-up, Barnes told reporters.
Someone inside the white pickup started throwing items, possibly tools, out of the window. Police said a male inside the pickup, later identified as Aaron Wallace, 31, Lakewood, began shooting “multiple rounds” from the driver’s-side window at the police car as both vehicles were speeding south toward Denver.
Police pursued the white truck, following it south and ultimately southbound on I-25 toward Greenwood Village.
As the chase approached Arapahoe Road on I-25, the officers in the patrol car were granted permission to perform what police call a PIT maneuver, essentially forcing the pursued car off the road.
The truck crashed into a grassy area along the highway, rolling over.
At about 1:55 a.m. Arapahoe County deputies arrived and helped stop and arrest Wallace and an unidentified 21-year-old woman in the pickup truck as they fled the crashed pickup truck.
Both were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Wallace remains in the hospital. The woman was released, police said.
None of the officers involved in the chase were injured.
Police said Wallace has a prior criminal history, is currently on probation for an undisclosed weapons violation out of the 18th Judicial District in Arapahoe County. Police said there is an outstanding warrant for Wallace’s arrest.
The woman in the pick-up truck is cooperating with police and is not expected to face charges.
Police said they retrieved a 40-caliber firearm from in or near the white pick-up truck, and that it included an extended-capacity magazine.
Wallace faces charges of attempted murder of a police officer, police said. He is currently being held at the Arapahoe County jail in lieu of $5,000 bond. Jail records were updated to reflect that a $750,000 bond was also imposed by the court, with a hearing scheduled for April 1.
Police are asking the public to help identify the person or persons inside the red pickup truck, accused in the allegations of felony menacing before the pursuit began.
“Investigators do believe that the driver of the red Chevrolet pickup truck, and (Wallace), are known to each other, and both related to the initial felony menacing call,” Longshore said. “We are still searching for both the truck and the unidentified driver.”
The incident is under investigation by an APD gun unit, major crimes as well as a unit evaluating the use of the PIT maneuver during the chase, police said.
Police said anyone with information can call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867. Tipsters can remain anonymous and still be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000, police said.
I read that the arrested moron had a 40 cal. weapon with an extended capacity magazine on it. I wonder how many crimes are committed with extended magazines today and what the trend is. As a long-time hunter, I can tell you that usually all you need is one or two shots and a bolt action rifle or a shotgun to hunt most game. I don’t know why people believe they need extended magazines, unless they are involved in shady business, like this clown! Also, for the record, I’ve never felt I needed a gun for protection! We wouldn’t need protection with far, far fewer guns. We are creating our own nightmare. Ask a kid in school who has to run repeated drills in case of a shooter. I’m an old coot, but I worry about what kids have to face today that I never had to think about!
We need to have high-capacity magazines because the criminals have them. They’re never going to abide by the laws that prohibit the rest of us from defending ourselves. You’re right that a good hunter doesn’t need many shots to take down the game, but the gangsters feel the need to spray lead at anything that prevents them from being gangsters. We can’t rely on the police to be available everywhere at every time. We need to be able to adequately defend ourselves.
Problems exist with this ongoing story. The police know who this 21 year-old woman is. Why keep it a secret? APD wants the publics help, but keeps important information like this 21 olds identity up their sleeve. There is value to make general information available, and this Jane Doe goal doesn’t cut it.
Wallace is a repeat offender, weapons is a big one, no telling what else? Despite his crime pattern then given a windfall of some $5K bond for attempted murder of a law enforcement officer… WTF?
Only a $5,000 bond for attempted murder of a cop? Please tell this was a typo!
The Sentinel immediately sent out a request for comment on the $5,000 bond. Jail records were updated Friday to reflect that a $750,000 bond was also imposed by the court, with a hearing scheduled for April 1. We still have not received comment on the questions.
Thank you to APD for chasing them down and making the necessary arrests. Hopefully they catch the other idiots in the red pickup, if it hasn’t been dumped already. This is exactly why the police need to be allowed to pursue suspects, even at high speed. We need to keep the trash where it belongs.
Well done, APD! Thank you.
Hope thathe others are found.
(No license plate-reading cameras along their path of fleeing?)
Wife and I have a 9mm automatic holding 15-round magazine and 1 round chambered.
We never expect to use it, but have the 9mm in case we need to try to defend ourselves against an armed criminal from whom we cannot escape.