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Teens suspects for fired cannon
Herald Staff Writer
Investigators plan to interview the juveniles with their parents present next week, said Ed Phippen, investigator with the Sheriff's Office.
The incident occurred about 8:15 a.m. Sunday on the Colorado Trail, northwest of Durango.
Ian Altman, 37, was riding his bike when a small cannon fired about a 1˝ feet from his legs. No projectile came out; rather white, gauze-like wadding soaked in an unknown chemical caused the explosion. Particulate from the blast lodged in Altman's legs and arms.
He was hospitalized Sunday night with a 102.5-degree fever and put on 21 days of antibiotics to prevent infection.
The cannon was similar to those used at high school and college football games to signal a touchdown. It had a rope leading into a tent, most likely a pull-rope to fire the cannon.
Altman wrote down the license plate number of a car he suspected belonged to the parents of the suspects. Investigators used that license plate number to identify the suspects.
"Five juveniles in the area were camping out," Phippen said Thursday. "They are teenagers."
Phippen declined to say where the juveniles are from, pending the investigation.
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Durango Herald Calendar of Events
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 4:25:44 PM
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exemployee says...
Boy if these same whiners ever had kids (teenagers) or even considered themselves teenagers at one time in their lives didn't they ever do a prank & get punished not SUED. These ballerina style bicyclists need to grow some cause Durango seems to be a town getting full of rich whiners and the locals are sick of it. Just like before in the "ole days" things were settled among parents & the law or by meeting behind a building & squaring off among each other then it was over with but to this extreme & this isn't news its a whiner wanting attention to stir up a personal issue they have. The Herald staff must really be bored cause this isn't news that I want to read about a spoiled baby cry..
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 4:22:50 PM
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ludicrous says...
court order them to work on TRAILS 2000 for a summer and donate their allowances to MS.
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 4:02:57 PM
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JT says...
Heck with the criminal justice system, I would bring suit in civil court. It is possible in some jurisdictions to sue the homeowners insurance company of the parents of the children involved. Remember, the key to any civil lawsuit is not whether you can actually win, it is whether you can collect if you do win. In order for the later to happen, there has to be some sort of wealth/asset on the part of the parents (not terribly likely), or an insurance company.
Most of the comments posted on here involving legal concepts are being posted by people who are NOT attorneys and have little or no understanding of the legal system. Why do people comment on things they know very little about? I guess that is why we have message boards.
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 3:47:48 PM
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Yo Momma says...
Oh spare me. If this had happened to a guy on a dirt bike or ATV there wouldn't be near the outrage. As a matter of fact you'd have a fair share of commenters saying it served them right for having those noisy poluters in "their" woods.
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 3:46:46 PM
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Karen says...
I can only assume that people who blame parents for everything their kids do have never been parents, or they should be thanking God for sending them easy kids. You can teach your kids right and wrong, but that doesn't mean they're never going to do something stupid or ignore what they're taught. Not to mention that punishing the parents for things their kids do further teaches the kids that they're not responsibile for their actions. Come on, people, think! Let's send America's youth the message, "Hey, you can do whatever you want because you PARENTS will have to pay for it." Let the kids, and the kids alone, pay the consequences for their actions and learn the lesson.
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 3:41:23 PM
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J says...
Could Be Your Kids....Murder? Really? I did not realize Ian was killed.
More importantly, Mr. Altman did not seem terribly concerned with punishing these children. Since he's the victim, I think he gets to decide. I did like the contributing to MS or Altman's fund idea. The rest calling for their blood really seems excessive.
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 3:36:37 PM
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Yo Momma says...
Oh come on man.If a cyclist is capable of sustaining major trauma just from falling of his bike then the only one he should be riding is a stationary model. You know, more than half the charges you sling at these kids would easily apply to most of the road cyclist in this town given how carelessly and recklessly they pedal around. Enough of your self-righteous indignation.
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 3:30:05 PM
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Beanie says...
As much as I hate dealing with obnoxious bicyclists (and Durango has more than its fair share of them), leaving the bike factor out of it, this was an unprovoked attack by a bunch of clowns whose parents failed miserably to teach them very basic moral obligations as members of the human race. You don't point and shoot anything that is potentially harmful at anyone or any living being for any reason at any time, unless in the very rare case of self defense. While I would agree that sometimes it may feel that bicyclists are constantly putting motorists at risk with their cocky attitudes, it doesn't warrant going out of your way to harm them. Ever. Charity work for the kids is a great idea, and so is a financial 'incentive' for their parents to hopefully show them that there is something seriously wrong with how their kids get along in this world and that maybe they should take a look at that.
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 3:10:36 PM
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Jake says...
Cyclists think they are the elite. heaven forbid you do something that they don't agree with. Like the old man cyclist who ran the stop sign full speed at Cr203 & Trimble (by the hot springs). But it's ok, he had a helmet, colors, rubber spandex tights. He's part of the elite that rules don't apply to.
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 3:01:42 PM
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. says...
Gee Mr. P.O.ed, would the same apply to a cyclist who pulls out into traffic going twice or three times his speed? Maybe if he forced that person into a head-on collisiom to avoid killing the cyclist?
Yes, No, Maybe so?
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 2:52:58 PM
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Could Be Your Kids says...
I agree with pissed off. Let' try these kids for murder. Maybe we can get all cyclists on the jury. This way they can get the death penalty. For being such immature kids WHICH THEY ARE.
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 2:40:48 PM
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pissed off says...
These kids put a human beings safety at risk for fun and should be punished accordingly. People have been killed and seriously injured by blanks, by mistake and yet these teens deliberately put a person life in danger. Not only could the bicyclist been seriously injured or possibly killed by particles coming out of the canon but could have caused him to fall off his bike and suffer major trauma, all because of prank. With what we know right now with the facts these kids should be charged with attempted murder, felony conspiracy to commit a crime, public endangerment and unlawful discharged of a CANON. If the parents were really there, they should be charged with felony child abuse and pay all medical and pain and suffering to the victim. I can assure you that if that was me or one of my family members getting hurt I would have beat some teenagers a*#^ and then gone after the parents. THIS WAS NOT PRANK, THIS IS A SERIOUS CRIME that could have ended in death and needs to be dealt with as such. If there would have been any solid object in that barrel like a rock, piece of wood a coin or anything like that, that defiantly would have killed the bicyclist and this would be a different story.
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 2:30:46 PM
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Mark says...
Ted - it's in the second article, and whether other people heard it or not isn't mentioned at all in the first article.
~Altman said. "It was so loud. Everyone on the ride that day heard it. My ears were ringing. I looked around, and my thoughts were I rode over some kind of booby trap."
Choices always carry consequences.
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 2:13:42 PM
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Ted says...
The kids should be taught a lesson. But to what point. Suing there parents for 10 million dollars. Try the kids as adults sentence them to 30 years hard labor. To please another cyclist Lydia or line pockets to possibly Altman. Give me a break. Weren't you a kid once. Were you an angel?
This "cannon" as originally described by Altman was three foot long with a two inch bore. The same "signal" not starter type cannon used on ships. To announce their arrival to those on shore. The blast could be heard for at least a mile. But that did not happen here. Go back and read the first article on this. Other cyclists did not hear this blast. The percussion alone on the cannon described without projectiles. Would at one and a half feet away from Altman's leg would of probably blown it off. This cannon as Altman previously described was probably a toy type. But as the days go on the story and cannon will probably be the size used to take down aircraft in world war 2. Parents should pay for medical expenses. Kids should be disaplined reasonably within the law. Just give it to our DA he will see to that. Unless he has a turn about. Sentences them to make up for all the real criminals he let get away. I 'm curious how this will play out.
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 1:43:10 PM
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homer says...
Mr. Taxpayer,
The Sheriffs Dept might be a little preoccupied with the shooting at Fransisco's. A probable murder take precidence over powder burns
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 1:38:23 PM
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Ben says...
Oh, this is just too convenient to be believed. Well, I guess we know who will always be the victim in the cycling debate. Pardon me, but I smell a rat.
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 11:52:45 AM
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Dro says...
I kind of like those teens waiting to be interviewed. It is what you call making them sweat. There life is on hold till the interview,I'll bet they are not sleeping to well.
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 11:34:00 AM
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Mike says...
A lawsuit is not the answer. In fact, that's what is wrong with this county. Everyone feels the need to sue everyone else for every stupid thing in the world. Should the kids and the parents be responsible for his medical bills...yes, which the criminal court can order. I agree with Tom. Have the kids raise money for MS as part of their sentence. Should the courts order a gun safety course as well? Maybe. Anyone who is a parent knows you can't possibly watch your kids 24/7. I'm sure investigators will be asking who the cannon belonged to, how it got there, and who left the kids unattended with it. This is not the same as shooting someone with a gun on their way to work.
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 10:35:14 AM
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Casey says...
Nothing is gonna come of this.
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 10:26:30 AM
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OleSchool says...
That's right! Gun control would have nipped this problem in the bud! Background checks on the punk kids, filling out in triplicate Federal forms,registering the cannon,a 30 day waiting period before they could deploy it, and triple taxing the gun powder.
These laws and regulations have been so effective on criminals and their firearms, shouldn't they regulate football game cannons?
Under this line of reasoning we can start blaming our pencils for miss-spelling words too! Think of how it would streamline our elementary schools.
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 9:38:26 AM
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matt says...
And remember folks... Cannons don't blast bicylists with particulate material... People do!
-NRA
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 9:35:31 AM
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MikeJones says...
Kids not using common sense and lack of judgement, like stated earlier, They probably just wanted to scare someone. You know kids these days, they dont think at all before the actions they take. I agree with Tom and that the kids should do something to benefit MS and/or Mr. Altmans charity. Lawsuits a little too much.
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 9:33:54 AM
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mr. taxpayer says...
What? Are you telling me that local law enforcement doesn't have people just sitting there waiting to be handed something to do? *gasp* I know, lets introduce propositions that would reduce the funding to these agencies. Then they can lay off some of their staff and that will for sure free up cops to handle a bigger workload right? You HAVE to think people. Don't just close your minds to what the ever accurate Herald story tells you and not see the bigger picture. THINK
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 9:27:05 AM
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Tom says...
Perhaps the individuals responsible could raise money for MS or some sort of community service to raise awareness for Mr. Altmans charity.
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 9:25:00 AM
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Mark says...
This is no different than if they had shot him in the leg on his way to work.
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 8:56:01 AM
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Lance says...
Just like somebody had mentioned the other day, lawsuits as Lydia suggested. These were foolish kids. Their parents will/should be responsible for medical bills. But a lawsuit would take away from the event of charity that I so firmly believe in. People like Lydia and maybe Altman (I hope not) would seek monetary personal gain to exploit this charitable event. I will never date someone with the name Lydia if that's her real name. These were kids. Haven't you done foolish things as a child. Justified compensation for injury yes. Lawsuit no.
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 8:34:12 AM
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Jojo says...
Unfortunately, these types of incidences can lead to more serious crimes. The parents need to have to teens do what's right and make amends with the man involved and hope they learned their lesson.....or they could make them pick up trash on the side of the road and allow people to drive by and throw eggs at them to show them a little humiliation.
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 8:20:32 AM
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Mike says...
La Lydia, calm down. Allow the Sheriff's Dept. to do a complete investigation. Rushing through an investigation only increases the chance of mistakes. If the Sheriff's Dept. is doing interviews next week that is an indicator they know who is involved and they are not going anywhere. Charging the juveniles this week or next will not alter the outcome in court.
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 8:15:23 AM
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Mike says...
Bill, there was no "cannon ball" loaded in the cannon. In order for the cannon to sound, powder has to be put in, followed by wadding (cloth). At close range, unburned powder becomes "particulate" along with pieces of the cloth or wadding. The injury is consistent with the statement. I don't believe these kids are "psychopaths", but simply ignorant. It's like giving a 16 year old a vehicle and they don't really comprehend the responsibility of the vehicle or the lethality of the vheicle until they have an accident. I believe it's more ignorance in youth than malicious intent. My guess would be they only wanted to scare him. Having said that, none of us really know what occurred because we haven't spoken with either party involved.
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 8:13:54 AM
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La Lydia says...
Teen-agers should not be allowed to have cannons ... And I love the sense of urgency here. The Sheriffs office knows who did it, but plans to interview the teenagers with their parents next week. Next week. I hope if anyone ever shoots me off of my bicycle with a cannon, law enforcement will be a little more aggressive in rounding up my attackers. Those kids need the Fear of God instilled in them. I think Mr. Bicycle Rider has a nice lawsuit against each and every one of the parents, and ought to be having a conversation with the state attorney general about the Sheriffs offices lackadaisical attitude.
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 7:49:17 AM
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gorgeous george says...
This is horrible! These 'kids' need to be severely punished. This is not a juvenile prank, but a very dangerous stunt which could have caused much more damage. These budding psychopaths need some serious punishment. And good job parents, way to raise a bunch of little sociopaths.
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 7:35:40 AM
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Bill says...
No projectile but a particulate was in his legs. Something doesn't sound right.
Friday, July 30, 2010
at 7:09:58 AM
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Dro says...
I would love to be fly on the wall at that interview.