A Fort Collins man was arrested and faces numerous charges for ramming a patrol vehicle head-on, then repeatedly refusing to comply with commands by deputies to surrender, the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office said in a release.
At about 1:30 a.m. on Friday, a deputy was driving eastbound behind another vehicle on Riverside Avenue near East Prospect Road in Fort Collins. A short time later, the deputy noticed a vehicle was traveling westbound toward him in the eastbound lanes of the road. The sheriff’s office said the vehicle in front of the deputy had to swerve to avoid a head-on collision with a 2014 Honda sedan later discovered to be driven by Raul Evelio Lopez-Lopez.
The deputy turned on his vehicle’s emergency overhead lights as the Honda continued driving toward him – eventually colliding with the front end of his patrol vehicle. Lopez then tried to move his vehicle, prompting the deputy to call for assistance while holding Lopez at gunpoint, the sheriff’s office said.
Additional resources from the sheriff’s office, Fort Collins Police Services and Colorado State University Police were called to the scene to assist. An LCSO armored BearCat was also deployed.
Lopez would not comply with commands in English or Spanish to exit the vehicle and deputies said he appeared, at one point, to be reaching for something. Deputies then used the BearCat to pin the Honda against the patrol vehicle to prevent Lopez from driving away.
Still refusing to exit his vehicle, deputies launched pepper-ball irritants through a rear seat window of the Honda in an attempt to gain compliance, the release said.
Lopez briefly exited the vehicle but did not follow commands, and instead, put his hands in his pockets, according to the LCSO. Law enforcement then struck Lopez with a 40-millimeter foam baton, along with more pepper-ball irritants.
Still, Lopez refused to follow commands, and went back inside the Honda, according to the release.
Pepper-ball was launched into the Honda once more, and this time Lopez got out of the Honda, complied with commands and was taken into custody.
Deputies said during the incident, Lopez showed signs of intoxication. He was treated at a local hospital for minor injuries associated with the pepper-ball and foam baton strike.
Lopez was then taken to the Larimer County Jail and booked on allegations of DUI, reckless driving, obstructing a peace office and resisting arrest. His bond was set at $1,250.
The deputy involved was taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for minor injuries sustained in the crash.
The sheriff’s office said both the patrol vehicle and Honda had moderate front-end damage.