A 27-year-old Durango woman is being held on suspicion of attempted first-degree murder for running over her cousin early Sunday, leaving the man in critical condition.
Katrina Baker told law enforcement she did it on purpose, according to an arrest affidavit. Baker was being held Monday in the La Plata County Jail.
The man, identified as 34-year-old Arlan Vicenti, had to be flown to a Denver hospital. A spokeswoman at St. Anthony Hospital said Monday afternoon he was in stable condition.
The La Plata County Sheriff’s Office received a report of the incident around 1:40 a.m. Sunday at the Sonoco Gas Station at 28870 U.S. Highway 160, a few miles east of downtown Durango.
Authorities were able to obtain security surveillance camera footage, which captured the entire incident, according to a police affidavit.
The video, according to the report, shows a 2012 red Dodge Ram 2500 pulling into the Sonoco around 1 a.m. Sunday. Two men exit the vehicle, one of whom is Vicenti.
Police wrote in the report that it appears Vicenti had been arguing with the driver of the truck.
At some point, the truck starts moving toward the two men. As they try to move out of the way, “the truck turns back to the left following them and picks up speed.”
Vicenti is struck and falls to the ground, the report said, and “the driver continues accelerating driving up on top of Vicenti and … strikes the building.”
The truck then starts to go in reverse and strikes a light post next to a diesel fuel pump. The video shows the driver exiting the vehicle, and deputies were able to identify the driver as Baker.
When questioned by authorities, Baker said she blacked out from drinking too much alcohol and didn’t remember what happened. She then changed her story several times, remembering bits and pieces of the evening.
Eventually, Baker told investigators she “did it on purpose.”
According to another passenger in the vehicle, a group that included Baker and Vicenti had spent the day hunting near Arboles. Afterward, they stopped at several bars in Durango, the last of which was Colorado Pongas.
On the way home, Baker and Vicenti started arguing, prompting Baker to pull over at the Sonoco gas station.
Baker is also suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol.
jromeo@durangoherald.com
