Grand County Sheriff’s office obtained a warrant on April 30, 2019 for Zachary Thomas Tangney, 25, of Kremmling. Tangney is the suspect in a high pursuit chase that occurred on Monday, April 29 and resulted in a nearly seven hour stand-off in Rayner’s trailer court in Kremmling.
A press release issued by the Grand County Sheriff’s Office outlines the events of the chase.
At 3:39 p.m., a Sergeant with the Grand County Sheriff’s Office was driving westbound on Highway 40 near Parshall when another vehicle approached him traveling at a high rate of speed. The vehicle passed the Deputy well in excess of the posted speed limit and a traffic stop was initiated. The vehicle initially stopped and then sped away westbound on Highway 40 at a high rate of speed. The driver of the vehicle sped into the property of Timber Resources at Highway 40 and Grand County Road 21 and was pursued by
two Grand County Deputies.
While on Timber Resources property, the vehicle sped around in circles and drove near employees in an extremely reckless manner. Prior to driving out of Timber Resources, the driver intentionally rammed one of the Sheriff’s vehicles nearly head on. The Deputies pursued the suspect as he drove back onto Highway 40 and continued westbound. Other Grand County Deputies joined in the pursuit
and stop sticks were deployed at milepost 188 on Highway 40. The stop sticks were able to deflate at least one of the tires on the vehicle that was being pursued.
The suspect vehicle slowed significantly as it approached Kremmling and pursuing Deputies maintained visual observation of the vehicle as it drove into Rayner’s Mobile Home Park at 500 N 12th in Kremmling. The suspect jumped out of his vehicle and ran into one of the residences in the park. Deputies quickly set up a perimeter around the trailer and attempted to call the suspect out. Once the suspect was positively identified, it was determined that the residence he ran into belonged to the suspect. West Grand School District was notified and placed the schools on lockout to maintain the safety of students in close proximity to the incident.
At approximately 5:00 p.m., students were released from the schools and the perimeter was maintained around the residence. When the suspect refused to come out of his house, and other options were exhausted, the perimeter was released. With legal limitations being met, the scene was cleared and an arrest warrant was obtained for the suspect.
According to Kremmling’s Police Chief Jamie Lucas obtaining the warrant was the safest route to cover everyone legally. He commended Sheriff Brett Shroetlin’s action, “He did an amazing job. Law enforcement did not fail the community in this incident, Technology required from the Judiciary failed us.”
Chief Lucas explained, 14th Judicial District Judge Shelley A. Hill of Steamboat Springs was on call for the evening, and she had trouble with the electronic signature needed on the document.
The arrest warrant obtained in the afternoon on Tuesday, April 30, outlined charges of speeding, reckless driving, vehicular eluding, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, and driving vehicle when license revoked as a habitual offender.
Tangney’s history of eluding law enforcement
As a Habitual Traffic Offender, Tangney’s driving license was previously revoked in 2014.
Then on two separate incidences in 2016 and 2018, Tangney eluded Grand County law enforcement when they attempted to stop him for excessive speeds on Highway 40.
On May 11, 2016, Tangney dodged Grand County Sheriff’s officers after they attempted to pull him over for speeding 95 miles per hour in a 65 miles per hour zone. He abandoned his vehicle near the Ritschard Ranch on 414449 U.S. Highway 40 and fled on foot. Officers were unable to locate him that night, and a warrant was obtained the next day.
He was given a deferred judgment and sentence for three Then on two separate incidences in 2016 and 2018, Tangney eluded Grand County law enforcement when they attempted to stop him for excessive speeds on Highway 40.
He was given a deferred judgment and sentence for three years for a Misdemeanor 1 charge on driving with a revoked license.
On August 1, 2018, Tangney once again eluded law enforcement officials after being pursued by a Colorado State Trooper who clocked speeds up to 113 miles per hour during the chase. During this incident, Tangney also took refuge in Rayner’s trailer court and abandoned the vehicle he was driving. This time it was nearly midnight and Tangney successfully avoided being apprehended in the dark. The investigation for this incident required three months, and a warrant was issued on October 4, 2018. This case is still active, and Tangney is facing revocation of his probation and deferred sentencing from the May 11 incidence. His court date for revocation of probation is currently scheduled for May 13, 2019.
Incidentally, when the abandoned vehicles were searched in both of these incidences, an empty holster was discovered which led law enforcement agents to conclude Tangney could have been armed when he was fleeing on foot.
The contents of the GMC pick-up Tangney was allegedly driving in the current incident has not been released. The GMC pick-up was not owned by Tangney.
The arrest of Dale Davis
As an aside, Dale Davis, 54, of Kremmling was arrested while the Grand County Sheriff’s Department had Rayner’s trailer park secured.
Davis was allegedly hiding under a porch at a residence on Bluff Avenue. He was charged with trespassing in the 3rd degree by the Kremmling Police Department.
The Grand Sheriff’s Office commented on his arrest, “The other male arrested in the area was not from the vehicle. It is unclear if he was involved or how at this point. We are not sure why he was hiding.”
CORRECTION: During the incident, Dale Davis was incorrectly identified on the Grand Gazette Facebook page as a possible suspect after his arrest. He was not named on the post, and we have made attempts to correct the inaccurate information. We apologize for this error.
Responding agencies
In addition to the Grand County Sheriff’s Department, other responding agencies were: Kremmling Police Department, Granby Police Department, Fraser/Winter Park Police Department, Colorado State Patrol, Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife and Grand County EMS.
