A 36-year-old man who is suspected of going on a crime spree around La Plata County was behind bars Monday.
On Dec. 23, a Colorado State Patrol trooper spotted a 2011 Ford F150 headed north on U.S. Highway 550 near Purgatory Resort traveling nearly 80 mph in a 60 mph zone.
The trooper stopped the vehicle at the entrance of Purgatory Resort, and according to an arrest affidavit, the driver identified himself, but was unable to provide any form of identification.
The trooper then spotted a syringe in a Crown Royal whiskey bag on the center console.
“When I inquired about it, he picked it up and told me his friend had diabetes,” the trooper wrote in arresting documents.
When the trooper went around to the passenger side of the vehicle, he spotted a spoon inside the glove box. After looking inside the Crown Royal bag, he found another syringe, a small empty bag and burned aluminum foil pieces – all associated with consuming heroin.
“During my conservation … he went from telling me he hadn’t consumed illegal narcotics in two months to just yesterday,” the trooper wrote.
Upon further investigation, it turned out the suspect had stolen the vehicle from a home in Hermosa, along with several guns, ammunition, expensive jewelry and camping gear – all of which was found inside the car.
Authorities contacted the real owner of the vehicle, and then went to check on his home, which showed obvious signs of being burglarized.
The driver was then arrested and taken to the La Plata County Jail, where authorities determined his real identity as David Edward Lee, 36.
He was charged on suspicion of second-degree burglary, a Class 4 felony; theft, a Class 4 felony; possession of a weapon by a previous offender, a Class 5 felony; criminal impersonation, a Class 6 felony; and speeding and driving under a restrained-revoked license.
Lee, it appears, had been arrested several days before for similar crimes.
According to an arrest affidavit in the separate incident, around 11 p.m. Dec. 16, a Durango police officer noticed a man outside Durango Liquors who matched the description of a wanted suspect who used stolen checks at Office Depot, 331 South Camino del Rio, on Dec. 7.
The officer contacted the man outside Durango Liquors, who identified himself as 35-year-old “Randy Brad Roquemore.”
Authorities ran the man’s fingerprints, which came back as belonging to Lee. Before being taken into custody, officers found a knife with a 5-inch blade and an unloaded gun on him. He was taken to La Plata County Jail.
Upon further investigation, authorities determined Lee was wanted on suspicion of stealing $600 in cash and personal checks, as well as seven blank business checks Dec. 9.
One of the blank business checks was used at Office Depot on Dec. 10 for nearly $170. Arresting documents say Lee was captured on camera making the purchase.
Authorities also connected Lee to another theft at the Durango Public Library on Dec. 9 that resulted in the loss of about $50 in memory cards and computer equipment. Still photos from surveillance cameras of the suspect match Lee, the arrest affidavit says.
According to VineLink.com, Lee remained in custody Monday at the La Plata County Jail.
jromeo@durangoherald.com
