Charges against former Fort Lewis College football quarterback Ar’mon Hickson, in connection with a hit-and-run death of Durango firefighter Scott Gallagher in August, were dismissed last week without prejudice.
Hickson, 24, had been charged with leaving the scene of an accident, a class 3 felony; and accessory to a crime, a class 5 felony.
Hickson and Tremon Rice, 23, also a member of the 2022 Skyhawks football team, faced identical charges, but the charges against Rice remain active. Rice does not appear on the 2023 Skyhawks football roster.
Rice and Lorenzo Jones, who is suspected of driving the car that struck and killed Gallagher, 49, while he was riding a bicycle just after 2 a.m. Aug. 7 on Florida Road near Aspen Drive, are scheduled to be arraigned March 3.
Jones, 20, is charged with vehicular homicide-DUI and leaving the scene of a crash. Rice was driving another vehicle when Jones hit Gallagher. The two conferred at the scene and it was Rice who gave Jones a ride away from the crash, according to police affidavits.
The charges against Hickson were dropped at the request of the 6th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, but they could be refiled if Hickson does not cooperate as a witness against Rice and Jones should their cases proceed to trial.
“Upon further review of the underlying factual circumstances, further investigation and in conjunction with defendant’s cooperation with being interviewed by law enforcement and assurances that he will cooperate as a witness if necessary against (Jones and Rice)” the case against Hickson is dismissed, according to a Jan. 18 motion filed by the district attorney’s office.
“The People have discussed this motion thoroughly with the victims, who have no objection to the proposed Motion to Dismiss Without Prejudice,” the filing concluded.
District Attorney Christian Champagne declined to provide additional information about why the charges against Hickson had been dropped, citing the pending cases against Jones and Rice.
gjaros@durangoherald.com
