Press Release

Date: 4/29/2020

Ref: Updated Covid-19 response

Starting May 4, 2020 the Washington County Sheriff’s Office will once again perform certain tasks that were placed on hold last month in response to the Covid-19 outbreak.  We will require that an appointment is made with at least 24hours notice, and can only be made Monday through Friday (8am-4:30pm).  Our office will still remain closed to the public at this point.  Please call us at 970-345-6865 to make an appointment.  (Appointments will be between 9am to 3:30pm)

At this time only the following will be permitted

• Concealed Carry Permits (Paperwork must be completed prior to arrival, visit our website for more information)
• VIN Inspections
• Sex Offender Registry
• Civil Processes

**All citizens who are allowed into our building for the above mentioned MUST wear a mask (Not Provided) and must pass a health screening.  If you are displaying any symptoms of Covid-19 or other infectious diseases, we ask that you not come to our facility.  **

If you have additional questions call our office at 970-345-6865 or visit our website at www.washcountysheriff.com.  We would like to remind everyone that we are in this together, and we appreciate all the support from the community.  Thank you for your continued patience and we will update you as the situation changes.

Respectfully,

Sheriff Jon Stivers & Staff

In light of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the Washington County Combined Courts has decided the following:
 We will allow counsel, parties, parents of juveniles, GALS, social workers, law enforcement, victims, victims’ advocates, probation staff, interpreters, and subpoenaed witnessed into the courtroom.
 Those that wish to wear protective gear such as surgical/face masks and/or gloves, or to carry surface sanitizing wipes or liquids may do so, consistent with courtroom security concerns.
 Access to the courtrooms by the general public is restricted at this time.
 A screening will be completed before entering the Court Lobby.
 If any individual has answered yes to the questions in the screening they will be asked for their name and phone number and asked to leave. The Clerk of Courts will be notified if this happens.
If there are any questions, contact the Washington County Combined Courts at (970) 345-2756.

WASHINGTON COMBINED COURTS
As a result of public health preparations to prevent the spread of COVID-19, most services at the 13th Judicial District courthouses are closed for regular business.
VISITORS TO THE WASHINGTON COUNTY JUSTICE CENTER WILL ONLY BE PERMITTED TO ENTER FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS:
To File:
 Petitions for temporary civil protection orders and permanent protection order hearings;
 Petitions for temporary emergency risk protection orders and hearings on emergency risk protection orders.
 Petitions for the appointment of an emergency guardian and/or special conservator;
Jurors:
 Jurors with a summons and instructions to report.
Parties to certain proceedings, to include attorneys, witnesses, victims, law enforcement and press:
 Parties appearing on today’s court dockets.
 Criminal proceedings that have not previously been continued;
 Crim.P.Rule 5 advisement for incarcerated persons and the initial setting of bail;
 Revocation hearings on complaints to revoke probation involving an incarcerated defendant;
 Proceedings necessary to protect the constitutional rights of criminal defendants including bond-related matters and plea agreements for incarcerated individuals;
 Detention hearings for juvenile delinquency cases;
 Shelter hearings in dependency and neglect cases or other juvenile proceedings;
 Hearings on motions to restrict parenting time and parental abduction prevention; and Emergency mental health proceedings.
 Note: Individuals who are not parties to a case set for hearing will NOT be permitted into the building.
If the aforementioned applies but you have been diagnosed with COVID-
19 or have been in contact with someone exposed to COVID-19 in the last
14 days follow the instructions below:
 Witnesses subpoenaed in a case, please contact the attorney or party issuing the subpoena
to explain the circumstances and discuss the options available.
 Jurors summoned to report for jury duty, please submit a postponement request as soon as
possible and we will reschedule your jury service.
CLERK’S OFFICE OPERATIONS
To fulfill the court’s vital role in maintaining stability while both preserving constitutional rights
and ensuring the safety and welfare of the people of this community, the Washington County
Combined Court’s Clerk’s Office has implemented the following processes and procedures:
Filing Court Documents: All filings that do not meet the aforementioned criteria (Petitions
for temporary civil protection orders and permanent protection order hearings; Petitions for
temporary emergency risk protection orders and hearings on emergency risk protection
orders; Petitions for the appointment of an emergency guardian and/or special conservator)
can be scanned/e-mailed to WashingtonClerksOffice@judicial.state.co.us.
Payments: All payments of court fines/costs must be made online (www.courts.state.co.us)
or mailed (check or money order only) to the Clerk’s Office. To facilitate effective social
distancing for our customers and staff, the Clerk’s Office will no longer accept payments at
our window. Mailing address: Washington Combined Court, PO Box 455, Akron CO 80720
Staffing: Effective today and until further notice, the Clerk’s Office will be operating at 50%
staffing, meaning there may only be one clerk working per day.
WHERE TO GET INFORMATION
Information regarding our operating status will be posted on our website https://www.courts.state.co.us/Courts/District/Index.cfm?District_ID=13)
If you have general questions regarding a case or matter, please use the contact information below.
 Court Information: Please all (970-345-2756) or e-mail (WashingtonClerksOffice@judicial.state.co.us) court staff for inquiries relating to court filings, processes/procedures, case status, or court appearances
 Jurors: Information pertaining to jury service will be posted to our website (https://www.courts.state.co.us/Jury/County/Index.cfm?County_ID=43). Inquiries related to jury service can be directed to the Jury Commissioner at (970-345-2756 ext.1) or washingtonjury@judicial.state.co.us.
 For Probationers: Call your Probation Officer directly, email your Probation Officer at firstname.lastname@judicial.state.co.us or call the Probation Department at 970-526-
3900. Due to a high volume of calls and emails, please allow 24 hours for a response before contacting us again.
 Payment Plan or Payment Questions: Call 970-345-2756.

PUBLIC NOTICE
In light of the recent Coronavirus Outbreak, and concerns surrounding the Coronavirus, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office has decided that our office will be closed to the public in an effort to do our part in combating the virus, and following CDC guidelines.

No civilians will be allowed to enter the building, unless escorted by a staff member for work related purposes, such as reporting a crime. All deliveries will be left outside the front doors, and a staff member will come to the door to pick up the delivery.

Citizens needing to register or update sex offender registration need to call our office prior to arrival, so we can make appropriate arrangements to ensure an appropriate amount of time to complete all paperwork.

Citizens needing civil process paperwork service are also encouraged to contact our office by telephone to see appropriate ways of handling such paperwork, and our requirements. We will be accepting mailed, faxed, or emailed paperwork, as long as appropriate payment is received as well.

We are suspending services such as vehicle unlocks, VIN Inspections, civil standbys (Unless court ordered), Concealed Carry Applications/renewal, and public fingerprinting until further notice.

We are encouraging Washington County citizens to call us through our dispatch phone number, 970-345-2244 in lieu of coming to our office. However if you come to our office you will need to utilize the “After hours” call box located on the east wall by the front doors, for assistance.

It is our hope that the public understands that this policy is an effort on our part to combat the concerns around this virus, while still providing public safety to our community. We will still be patrolling, responding to calls, and investigating crimes within the county during this time.

Since this situation is evolving rapidly this policy will be evaluated continuously and modified as needed.

It is our hope that in the near future we will be able to return to normal operating procedures, and allow the general public back into our building. In the meantime please feel free to reach out to us with questions, comments, or concerns.

It is our understanding that the Washington County Combined Courts will continue with normal operating hours during this time. If you have questions for the courts please contact them at 970-345-2756.

Respectfully,
Sheriff Jon Stivers

Notice Regarding COVID-19 (the “Novel Coronavirus”) and Court Operations:

The courts and probation department provide important and essential services to the public and we will endeavor to maintain normal operations to the fullest extent possible. We understand there is concern about COVID-19 and the 13^th Judicial District is requesting that you PLEASE NOT COME TO THE COURTHOUSE, PROBATION, OR PRETRIAL SERVICES if: (1) you have been diagnosed with COVID-19 (“Novel Coronavirus”) and you have not received a subsequent test confirming that you are currently virus-free; (2) you have been in direct contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 within the past fourteen days; (3) you are experiencing a fever, cough, shortness of breath, or any other respiratory illness symptoms. If any of these three criteria apply, please call the clerk’s office at (970) 345-2756 to reschedule your court date or request to appear by telephone if you are not represented by an attorney, or contact your attorney to file a request for a continuance or a telephone appearance. If you are subpoenaed as a witness in a case, please contact the attorney or party issuing the subpoena to explain the circumstances and discuss the options available.  If you are summoned to report for jury duty, please contact the jury commissioner at (970) 345-2756 to reschedule your jury service.  Please call to reschedule appointments with the probation department (970-345-6847), collections (970-526-3966).  Updates on court operations will be posted at (www.courts.state.co.us).  

Until further notice, the court will permit persons to wear surgical masks and gloves in court and probation buildings if they so desire. Persons may also bring small plastic containers of hand sanitizer into court and probation buildings.  

High Speed Chase

On January 2, 2020, at approximately 8:00 a.m., multiple local law enforcement agencies were involved in a high speed pursuit across Yuma and Washington Counties involving a stolen 2019 Ram pickup out of Wray. This pursuit ended east of Otis due to the high speeds and reckless driving actions of the driver of the stolen pickup.
At approximately 8:15, it was reported to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office that the stolen vehicle was seen being parked behind Davis Bros gas station in Akron, and one (1) male party exited the vehicle heading east on foot. A description of the male party was given to our office, and an adult male identified as Uriel Ureno-Garcia was placed into custody at approximately 4th and Fir St in Akron, in connection with the pursuit. Our deputies then located the stolen pickup, abandoned, on the north side of Davis Bros. The stolen pickup was displaying fictitious plates and deputies also discovered stolen temporary tags inside the pickup. The stolen vehicle was later turned over to the owner.
At approximately 9:45, we received a report of two stolen vehicles in Akron. Deputies began traveling east on Hwy 34, eventually spotting vehicles matching the description of the stolen ones. Contact was made with Brush PD and Morgan County to assist in stopping the vehicles. Another pursuit occurred including both of the additional stolen vehicles and continued westbound on Highway 34 into Brush and then continued onto westbound Interstate 76. Units involved in that pursuit included Colorado State Patrol, Washington County Sheriff, Fort Morgan Police Department & Morgan County Sheriff’s Office. Colorado State Patrol successfully deployed tire deflation devices on westbound Interstate 76 at approximately MP 82 and disabled one of the two stolen vehicles. The adult female that was driving the disabled stolen vehicle was promptly arrested. The female was identified as Lucinda Garcia-Mata. Garcia-Mata was taken to Morgan County Jail and then transported to The Washington County Justice Center. Lucinda Garcia-Mata was booked in on charges of 2nd Degree aggravated motor vehicle theft, driving under revocation, possession of schedule 2 controlled substance, speeding 25-39 over posted speed, vehicular eluding and reckless driving. Garcia-Mata is being held pending advisement. The second stolen vehicle continued westbound on Interstate 76 and the pursuit of the second stolen vehicle was discontinued near Wiggins due to safety concerns.
Ureno-Garcia was later released by Colorado State Patrol as he was not considered a suspect in the case. This case is still currently under investigation. All residents are highly encouraged to keep their vehicles locked.

Drone Information

Today Sheriff Stivers along with local, state, and federal agencies attended a meeting regarding the recent drone activity. During this meeting a lot of information was shared, but it is still unknown who is operating the drones and why. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office will be a part of an organized task force to investigate the drone sightings, trying to find out who is operating them and for what reason.
We ask that you report any drone or suspicious activity that might be in your area to our dispatch line at 970-345-2244 so we can look into it immediately. Please do not report drone sightings on our facebook page as they will not be immediately addressed.
This is an ongoing investigation, and we will update the public when we have further information.

Jon Stivers, Washington County Sheriff, is pleased to announce that Ashlynn Gillis is this year’s recipient of the County Sheriffs of Colorado, CSOC, scholarship award for Washington County.

This form will be coming out in the mail soon it is not a scam. This form is an attempt to get more people involved in County Sheriff’s of Colorado.

WASHINGTON COUNTY

Press Release

03/18/2022 through 03/25/2022

March 18, 2022

Deputies received a report of a lost or stolen license plate. The plate was entered into the system as stolen. Case is under investigation.

While in custody, Ryanne Mackley was arrested on a warrant out of Weld County Court. Mackley was later transported to Weld County.

March 19, 2022

Deputies received a report of a possible fraud in the Town of Akron. Case is under investigation.

Deputies were dispatched to a theft at the storage units on 8^th Ave and Grand Ave in the Town of Akron. Case is under investigation.

A citizen of Akron brought a dog to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office that she had found at the Washington County Fairgrounds. The owner, Ana Buitz later contacted the Sheriff’s Office and retrieved the dog. Buitz was given a verbal warning for dog at large.

Deputies were dispatched to a domestic in progress in the 500 block of Grand Ave. After further investigation, deputies arrested Mitchell Elliot for harassment, child abuse, domestic violence and a protection order violation. Elliot was given a $1,000.00 PR bond.

March 20, 2022

Deputies received a report of a possible sex assault in the Town of Akron. Case is under investigation.

Deputies were dispatched to a family disturbance in the 100 block of E 5^th St in the Town of Akron. After further investigation, deputies gave one of the parties a courtesy ride to another location.

March 21, 2022

Deputies were dispatched to the 400 block of Ash Ave in the Town of Akron for a suspicious person. After further investigation, deputies arrested Cody Brothers on a warrant out of Morgan County for failure to comply. Brothers was later transported to Morgan County Jail.

March 22, 2022

Deputies received a report of someone tampering with utilities in the 300 block of Bent Ave in the Town of Akron. Case is under investigation.

Deputies received a report of livestock being killed in the 15000 block of County Road 59.5. The livestock was believed to be killed by a nearby dog. No charges were filed.

March 23, 2022

Deputies received a report of lambs in a trailer in the 500 block of 3^rd St in the Town of Otis. Case is under investigation.

March 24, 2022

Deputies received a report of two juveniles that were caught smoking marijuana at the Akron School. The juveniles were issued citations for minor in possession.

Deputies received a report of a possible cyber harassment in the Town of Akron. Case is under investigation.

CITATIONS:

03/23/2022    LEHAR, KELSEY                   age 32                                           1^ST & DADE
                        Expired tags (1 year)

Washington County Sheriff’s Office

Press Release

March 18, 2019

On March 12, 2019 at about 4:41 p.m. Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Akron Volunteer Fire Department and Washington County Ambulance were dispatched to the Colorado Regional Airport in Akron on a plane crash. Upon arrival deputies observed a single engine prop plane upside down on the southwest portion of the airport a few hundred feet off the runway.  The pilot stated that he was on his first solo flight and when he came in for a landing a gust of wind lifted the plane off the ground and he was unable to keep the plane on the runway. The pilot was the only occupant in the plane and was later taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The FAA and NTSB were notified.

PRESS RELEASE

Washington County Sheriff’s Office

October 25, 2018

On August 21, 2018 a complaint was filed with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office regarding a possible sexual assault by Deputy Jon Hart. Due to the nature of the case and the involvement of a deputy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Stivers contacted the District Attorney’s Office and requested they investigate the complaint. Deputy Hart was put on administrative leave on August 22, 2018 pending the investigation. On October 6, 2018, Jon Hart was let go from the Sheriff’s Office due to the findings of an internal investigation by the sheriff’s office, on other unrelated issues.

Jon Hart turned himself in to Logan County Sheriff’s Office on October 23, 2018 on a warrant for Sexual assault on a child/ position of trust and pattern of abuse Class 3 Felony, Sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust Class 4 Felony, and 1st Degree Official Misconduct Class 2 Misdemeanor.  Hart was advised on October 24, 2018 and was released on a $50,000 cosigned personal recognizance bond.

No further news releases will be disseminated from this office due to a gag order.

If you recieved this letter in the mail it is not a scam it is a letter that is coming from County Sheriff’s of Colorado.