ARVADA, Colo. — The man accused of fatally shooting an Arvada Police officer last September pleaded not guilty Tuesday morning in Jefferson County District Court.
Sonny Almanza is set to go to trial in September for the fatal shooting of Officer Dillon Vakoff, 27, who was killed in the early morning hours of Sept. 11. He and another officer had responded to a family disturbance on West 51st Avenue near the intersection with Marshall Street in Arvada.
>The video above is a prior report about the case.
Vakoff had joined the department in 2019 and was a graduate of Ralston Valley High School in Arvada.
Almanza was charged with multiple counts related to the shooting, including first-degree murder and attempted murder.
According to court documents, a custody dispute between Almanza and the mother of his children led to a fight in the street. According to an arrest affidavit, Almanza told investigators that he didn't know police officers were present when he started shooting.
Almanza is also accused of shooting a woman in the leg during the same incident.
He had previous charges for multiple weapons-related offenses and a previous conviction for first-degree assault, according to court records.
Almanza is next due in court in August. His trial was set to begin Sept. 19.
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