DENVER — A man wounded in a road rage shooting over the weekend in Adams County swerved toward another vehicle several times on Interstate 25 before a man in that other vehicle fired a gun multiple times, an arrest affidavit says.
However, in that same document, the victim, who was shot in his left forearm, denied he was involved in any type of road rage interaction with anyone on the roadway.
The shooting happened at about 5:30 a.m. on Saturday on northbound I-25 near U.S. 36. It was reported by a driver who was driving behind the victim. That man reported that he saw a blue Dodge Durango in the middle lane and a grey truck in the right lane. He reported that he heard what sounded like gunfire and then saw the grey truck swerve and hit a barrier on the east side of the highway.
The witness told investigators the driver of the Dodge turned off their headlights and exited at Thornton Parkway. He also said his vehicle was equipped with front and rear dash cameras and said he would provide the footage to investigators.
Shortly after the shooting, a Thornton police sergeant spotted the Dodge on Thornton Parkway and began following it. Adams County deputies responded and a traffic stop was initiated near Highway 2 and Rosemary Street in Commerce City.
The sheriff's office said two men, 20-year-old Marco Orona and 18-year-old Oscar Granados, were arrested. A juvenile was also inside the vehicle and at the time of the traffic stop he was in possession of two guns, the affidavit says. All three were initially taken to the sheriff's office for processing where they were swabbed for gunshot residue.
They were each interviewed separately. The juvenile reported that the truck driver was swerving toward them. He said it did not hit them but got really close, the affidavit says. At one point when their vehicles were side by side, he said he saw Granados and Orona pointing guns toward the other vehicle and said five shots were fired toward the vehicle.
After the shots were fired, he reported that he saw the truck swerve and hit the guardrail, the affidavit says. When asked by investigators who fired toward the truck, the juvenile said there was one shooter and said that only Granados fired.
He reported that as they were getting pulled over, Granados and Orona asked if he was "willing to take a charge," the affidavit says. He agreed, according to the document, to take both handguns and put them in the jacket he was wearing.
Granados was evasive during his interview with detectives and denied any knowledge of the incident before asking for a lawyer, the affidavit says.
Orona claimed he was asleep in the vehicle when a shell casing landed between his glasses and his face, according to the affidavit. He later admitted he had grabbed a gun and pointed it at the truck, but said he did not fire it, the affidavit says. He also described that the other truck driver was swerving erratically and nearly hit them.
Granados is due in court on Wednesday when formal charges are expected. No court dates are set for Orona.