GOLDEN, Colo. — A 33-year-old man was sentenced Monday after a 2025 incident in which he rammed patrol cars at the Evergreen Walmart parking lot and led officers on a high-speed chase in a stolen work truck carrying radioactive materials.
A Jefferson County judge gave Tyler James Young the maximum sentence: 13 years in state prison, after Young pleaded guilty to motor vehicle theft, vehicular eluding and second-degree assault.
On Sept. 11, 2025, the owner of a stolen Ford F-150 tracked his vehicle to the Evergreen Walmart and notified authorities. Jefferson County deputies and the Colorado State Patrol responded to the report.
Officers arrived soon after and located the stolen vehicle. They then observed Young enter the truck and drive out of the parking lot. As deputies attempted to stop the vehicle from leaving the lot, Young rammed patrol cars, injuring a trooper, according to a news release from the Colorado First Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
During this confrontation, a trooper discharged their firearm, but Young was not injured. He fled east on Interstate 70 at over 110 mph. Eventually, a tactical vehicle intervention sent the truck into a runaway ramp, leading to Young's arrest, according to the release.
“This is a man who drove into patrol vehicles and then continued recklessly through rush-hour traffic in a stolen truck transporting hazardous materials. He is very lucky no one was seriously injured or killed,” stated Deputy District Attorney Corey Fluke during sentencing.
At the time of the incident, Young was on probation and faced new charges in Gilpin County.
Authorities said Young had no information indicating he knew about the hazardous materials or attempted to access them while he was in possession of the vehicle.
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.
