A New Mexico man suspected of stealing a vehicle in Durango and leading law enforcement on a chase through Silverton was formally charged Monday in 6th Judicial District Court.
Christopher Bagwell, 21, is charged with felony motor vehicle theft, vehicular eluding, vehicular assault, reckless driving and criminal impersonation.
Bagwell is suspected of stealing a white 1996 Ford van on Sept. 5 from a construction site at 3416 Main Ave. in Durango. Later that day, someone reported a drunken driver near a Silverton campground, 50 miles north of Durango.
Deputies tried to stop the vehicle, but Bagwell sped away with his wife, Amanda Davalos, of Tucson, Arizona, in the passenger seat, according to the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office.
The chase took law enforcement south on U.S. Highway 550 back toward Durango, but Bagwell went off the side of the road and struck a tree on the south side of Molas Pass, near milepost 62.5. Bagwell was taken to Mercy Regional Medical Center and Davalos was airlifted to Mercy.
Davalos is not facing any charges in the case, but she was extradited to New Mexico where she faced unrelated charges.
Bagwell also faces charges in Texas and New Mexico, but he must first deal with his charges in Colorado.
shane@durangoherald.com
