BOULDER, Colo. — A man allegedly stole a Boulder Fire-Rescue engine immediately after he was released from jail on Tuesday, officials said.
The Boulder Police Department (BPD) said nobody was seriously injured in the incident. Denver7 is working to learn more and will have an update in our 10 p.m. show Wednesday.
At 11:32 p.m. Tuesday, Boulder police officers responded to the 4500 block of 19th Street after a person called to report a man was trying to get into cars and homes in the area.
When officers arrived, they detained the man and took him to jail at midnight, BPD said. He was booked on a charge of third-degree trespassing. Per Colorado statue, around 3:30 a.m., he was released from jail.
He was identified as Richmond Takashi Johnson, 33.
Around the same time, Boulder Fire-Rescue responded to the jail for an unrelated medical call. While that crew was treating a patient in the jail's lobby, Johnson got into their fire engine, BPD said.
Then, he drove away.
Police officers, as well as deputies with the Boulder County Sheriff's Office, pursued Johnson. He was spotted at 34th Street and Valmont Road, and BPD said he did not stop for law enforcement. He then turned south on Foothills Parkway before turning east on Arapahoe and north on Highway 287.
Officers with the Longmont Police Department deployed stop sticks at several locations, and Johnson lost control of the engine and came to a stop at 1st Street and Main Street in downtown Longmont, BPD said.
BPD said Johnson jumped out of the truck and ran away. A few minutes later, Boulder County deputies and Longmont police officers arrested him.
BPD noted that Johnson has an extensive criminal history. In this case, he was brought to jail on charges of obstructing a peace officer, felony motor vehicle theft (two counts), resisting arrest, reckless driving, felony criminal mischief (damage to city property), felony vehicular eluding, reckless endangerment and driving after revocation prohibited.
A Boulder County deputy had minor injuries from chasing the suspect. Nobody else was injured.
The fire engine and two of the sheriff's office's vehicles were significantly damaged. Another sheriff's office vehicle had minor damage, BPD said.
Boulder Fire-Rescue is assessing the damage to the fire engine.
Anybody with information about this case is asked to contact Detective K. Euler at EulerK@bouldercolorado.gov or 303-441-3393 regarding case 26-03696.
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.
