A man was arrested for suspected vehicular assault and other charges after an incident in the 25000 block of Road G that injured a pedestrian, Montezuma County Sheriff Steve Nowlin said.
Wyatt Lance Fish, 45, was arrested by sheriff deputies on multiple charges, including alleged vehicular assault, second-degree assault on a peace officers and resisting arrest, according to a sheriff’s affidavit.
Formal charges are being investigated by the 22nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
According to a sheriff’s incident report and witness reports, Fish drove a Ford flatbed pickup recklessly across private property, lost control and allegedly struck resident James Dillashaw, who suffered serious injuries. Dillashaw was transported to Southwest Memorial Hospital.
Fish then allegedly drove through two fences and struck a parked vehicle head on, which was pushed into an agricultural building, according to the report.
Soon after, a nearby mobile home the suspect had entered caught fire, Nowlin said. Fish was seen fleeing the scene by bicycle then on foot. He was arrested while hiding in a nearby wooded area after a pursuit and search by sheriff’s deputies and the Colorado State Patrol.
Fish allegedly kicked two officers and spit on a state trooper while being arrested, the report said.
Cortez Fire Protection District firefighters responded to the burning mobile home and extinguished the fire, which caused was heavy damage. A nearby vehicle also caught fire and was a total loss.
At 4:52 a.m. Wednesday morning, Cortez Fire Protection District crews responded to a house fire on U.S. Highway 160 south of Cortez.
The two-story structure was engulfed in flames, said Chief Jay Balfour, and was unoccupied. There were no injures. The house, which was destroyed, was under renovations, and the cause of the fire is under investigation. No hydrants were nearby, so tanker trucks were used to shuttle water from the nearest hydrant at the old M&M truck stop.
Nearby vehicles were moved away from the fire, and a propane tank was protected. The fire was just north of the Eagle Claw Liquor store.
Mutual aid was provided by Lewis Arriola Fire, Dolores Volunteer Fire Department, Mancos Fire Department and Ute Mountain Fire Department. Montezuma County Sheriff’s deputies and the Colorado Department of Transportation also responded.
