A Durango man was arrested last week for allegedly assaulting a La Plata County Sheriff’s deputy.
At about 12:30 a.m. Oct. 11, Durango Police Department responded to a suspicious call at a La Plata County Road and Bridge facility, located at 1345 South Camino Del Rio.
According to an arrest affidavit, sheriff’s Deputy Trevor Katomski was sitting in his patrol vehicle in the Road and Bridge Department’s parking lot when someone suddenly opened the front passenger-side door.
The deputy initially believed another deputy was playing a prank on him, until he realized it was a random intoxicated man who opened the door, making strange noises, the affidavit said.
The man was later identified as Corey Lindt, 31.
Lindt entered the vehicle and allegedly punched Katomski in the face three to four times before stealing the deputy’s metal clipboard and exiting the vehicle. Katomski also noticed Lindt grabbing other items before leaving the vehicle.
Durango Police Department could not say what other items were taken from the patrol vehicle but confirmed that Lindt stole the deputy’s clipboard.
Katomski exited the vehicle and notified dispatch of what happened. He then reencountering Lindt at the rear of his vehicle. Lindt allegedly threw the metal clipboard at the deputy, nearly hitting him. Katomski pointed a Taser at Lindt, who then ran away.
As Lindt was attempting to flee, he fell, allowing Katomski to hold him at Taser point until another deputy and a DPD officer arrived on scene to help take the suspect into custody.
During the on-scene interview, Woehrel asked Lindt what had happened, to which he responded incoherently, saying phrases like “set up” and “disobey... the law.” When asked why, Lindt simply replied, “Why not?” according to the affidavit.
Officers reported that Lindt’s eyes were bloodshot, glassy, watery and his pupils were dilated. However, there was no evidence Lindt had used drugs.
Walters noticed a strong odor of alcohol emanating from Lindt while speaking with the suspect.
Lindt informed law enforcement that he hadn’t used drugs or alcohol in a long time. However, when officers asked if he was under the influence, he responded, “Absolutely.”
DPD Cmdr. Nick Stasi said Lindt refused a blood-alcohol test at the La Plata County Jail, and none was conducted on site. He said officers typically do not administer such tests if they are unlikely to affect the charges.
Lindt told the officers he had been drugged and the last thing he remembered was eating pizza and drinking a Coke at Homeslice Pizza in Three Springs subdivision.
Stasi said Lindt's claims of being drugged were later contradicted during interviews when he told officers he had not taken any drugs.
That was one of a few contradiction Lindt told officers while being interviewed. In a later interview, after being read his Miranda rights, Lindt told police multiple variations of what happened that night, including having three “aviation” drinks at a downtown restaurant and a margarita at a different restaurant.
Lindt later went back on his original claim that he was in Three Springs, according to the affidavit. He also told officers that he lived in a neighborhood in Three Springs but then later said that he lived on County Road 513.
He went on to tell officers multiple variations of the last thing he remembered from the night.
Katomski was taken to Mercy Hospital the morning of Oct. 11 and did not suffer major injuries.
Lindt was arrested on charges of second-degree assault, first-degree criminal trespass and criminal mischief.
tbrown@durangoherald.com
