CLIFTON, Colo. — After driving from deputies, shooting at a patrol car and then fleeing on foot, a suspect was arrested and charged Tuesday morning.
Mesa County Sheriff’s Office deputies initiated a traffic stop at 2:07 a.m. Tuesday for a white GMC truck around 30 Road and D Road.
The male driver did not stop the truck and jumped a curb in a nearby neighborhood. Deputies continued to follow the car through Clifton.
Deputies attempted to stop the driver once again near Lombardy Lane and, again, the man didn’t pull over. He then fired several rounds of gunfire at the pursing deputies while driving.
One of the bullets struck the windshield of a patrol car and hit the dashboard of the driver’s side, causing the deputy to sustain a minor injury.
Deputies were able to bring the vehicle to a stop in the area off 33 1/2 Road and D 1/2 Road.
A 28-year-old female passenger from the truck was detained and treated on scene for minor injuries.
The male driver fled on foot and a community notification was sent out to 224 nearby homes with instructions to shelter-in-place.
Other members of the sheriff’s office and the Grand Junction Police SWAT Teams responded to the area to help search for the suspect. Colorado State Patrol, the Fruita Police Department and Palisade Police Department also joined in.
Around 4 a.m., they found the suspect in a garage on the 3300 block of D 1/2 Road. He was taken into custody. The shelter-in-place was lifted at 4:05 a.m.
D 1/2 Road stayed closed Tuesday morning for several hours while authorities investigated the scene and collected evidence. It had opened as of 9:30 a.m.
The woman in the truck is cooperating with the investigation. She was interviewed by investigators and has been released.
The male driver was identified as 26-year-old Gabriel Milligan of Grand Junction.
He was arrested and charged with criminal attempt to commit first-degree murder, first-degree assault on a peace officer threatening with a deadly weapon, second-degree assault with injury with a deadly weapon, felony menacing, possession of a weapon by a previous offender, vehicular eluding and illegal discharge of a firearm into an occupied vehicle. He also faces trespassing-related charges and traffic-related charges.
Milligan is being held in the Mesa County Detention Facility.
This case is still under investigation. A mug shot was not available as of 10:10 a.m.
