ESTES PARK, Colo. — A man accused of speeding recklessly through Rocky Mountain National Park and causing a crash at the visitor center was arrested after he was found hiding in an Estes Park home, according to a federal criminal complaint.
Wayde Thyfault, of Northglenn, fled the scene of the crash on Sunday and was taken into custody Monday morning.
Around 4 p.m. Sunday, Thyfault, drove through the Grand Lake entrance to the park without stopping and while doing so threw a necklace out the window that struck the window of the entrance booth, a federal criminal complaint says.
He continued along Highway 34 into the park. A ranger followed him, observed his driving behavior and planned to attempt a traffic stop near Deer Junction. During that time, the ranger reported that he was driving at a high rate of speed and passed several vehicles in a marked no-passing zone.
The ranger was in a marked vehicle and activated her lights and sirens for the traffic stop, but Thyfault failed to stop, the federal complaint says. Shortly after she saw him "almost lose control" in a turn in the road.
Due to the driver's excessive speed and recklessness, law enforcement rangers backed off on the pursuit, the spokeswoman said.
They placed stop sticks near the Beaver Meadows Entrance on the east side in an effort to stop him but only his left front tire deflated. He was able to drive for another two miles, the complaint says.
Near Mill's Drive and Highway 36, he collided with the driver's side of a Toyota Corolla pushing that car into a tree, the federal complaint says.
Three people were in the Toyota. Two got out of the car on their own, and the driver had to be extricated from the vehicle. All three were taken to the hospital. One of them had a "severe concussion" and another suffered a stroke after a clot formed due to whiplash, the federal complaint says.
After the crash, the man ran from his vehicle toward homes along High Drive in Estes Park.
Thyfault was arrested in that area Monday morning after a resident on High Drive returned home and noticed damage to his property. He called 911 to report the damage. When officers arrived, they found Thyfault inside the residence and arrested him.
He's also believed to be the suspect in a separate burglary in Grand County, the park spokeswoman said.
On Thursday, the U.S. Attorney's Office said Thyfault had been charged with one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
