DENVER — The man accused of stealing a tractor and leading Denver police on a pursuit through the streets of downtown Denver is also suspected of stealing a car in Lakewood earlier Friday evening.
Thomas Busch, 37, is being held for investigation of theft of a motor vehicle, first degree assault and vehicular eluding.
Denver Police said Monday afternoon the department was investigating several other incidents that could be connected to Busch Friday evening.
Busch was scheduled to appear in a Denver court Monday, but that hearing was postponed as he’s still at Denver Health, where he was taken after his arrest.
Two Denver Police officers were treated and released after trying to arrest Busch and him resisting. DPD was not releasing their names as of Monday afternoon.
According to the probable cause statement provided by DPD Monday, Busch stole the John Deer tractor from Denver Water. He then got into a hit-and-run crash with another car at East 11th Avenue and North Colorado Boulevard.
“Busch was seen by 911 callers crashing into a fence and driving on the construction site,” the court document said.
The police report said while Busch was driving through grass and sidewalks in City Park, causing pedestrians to get out of the way, officers tried to contact hi, but Busch wouldn’t stop.
The report said that Busch then took the tractor to downtown Denver, driving the wrong way head-on into traffic and through pedestrians on a busy Friday night.
Special Operations Division Commander Patrick Phelan said the tractor was traveling at approximately 10 to 20 mile per hour, and that more and more police cars responded as the chase continued.
Phelan also said police tried to use a stop-maneuver several times, but they didn't work.
A DPD officer was injured after ramming the front end of the tractor with a squad car, disabling the machinery and totaling the police car. The stop occurred at 15th and Market streets.
A court record indicates Busch resisted arrest and when officers tried to use a taser gun on him, it didn’t work. A police dog was used to help subdue Busch.
The police dog bit the officer while trying to handcuff Busch, according to the report.
"It doesn’t happen very often," Phelan said. "The suspect was fighting the dog pretty hard. The dog bit the officer; the handler was able to make that stop."
Lakewood police also told 9NEWS that Busch could be a suspect in a car theft that occurred earlier Friday evening before the tractor pursuit.
According to Mark Reeves, a spokesman for Lakewood PD, after 5 p.m. Friday, Lakewood PD agents were dispatched to a disturbance at the intersection of West Colfax Avenue and Kipling Street.
While investigating that, agents received a call of a car stolen from a dealership at 11000 W. Colfax Ave. Because of the proximity to the first incident, agents believed that Busch may have stolen the car.
Lakewood PD is investigating.
Busch has a lengthy criminal history, including a couple of stints in prison. He’s currently on parole, according to the Colorado Department of Corrections.
A criminal background check showed that Busch has been in trouble since 1999, when he was 18. The first charge on his criminal history is assault on a police officer and consuming alcohol as a minor. The 10-page criminal history also includes burglary, domestic violence, assault, robbery and vehicle theft.
According to an affidavit obtained by 9NEWS for Busch's 2008 arrest, he was convicted of stealing an SUV from an older couple in a McDonald's parking lot and then trying to sell the vehicle. There were also multiple guns and a computer inside.
Denver Water, citing the on-going investigation, declined to answer questions Monday about how an unauthorized person could drive away in its tractor.
Denver Police said it won't release the photo of Busch until the department speaks to all the witnesses of Friday events.
Residents with videos or information are asked to call 720-337-1000.
