Regional News - The Durango Herald

The Blotter, May 8

Durango Police Department Wednesday 7:55 a.m. A suspicious-looking man was looking into multiple businesses in the 3700 block of Main Ave. 9:32 a.m. Someone reported a gas leak in the 100 bl...

DATE: May 9, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Effort to protect same-sex marriage at the polls kicks off in Colorado

State Constitution still defines marriage as being between a man and a woman

DATE: May 9, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Colorado lawmakers pass bipartisan property tax relief bill as 2024 legislative session comes to a close

The General Assembly hopes its legislation will persuade voters not to back property tax measures on the November ballot that would ravage state and local government budgets

DATE: May 9, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Colorado House members join vote to save Speaker Mike Johnson

Only Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette voted to move forward on effort to oust Johnson

DATE: May 9, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Colorado lawmakers mark boisterous end to legislative session

In recent years, sessions have wrapped up with rancor and exhaustion. This year, the mood was more positive

DATE: May 9, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Top Democrats, Republicans join together on 11th-hour property tax deal

Bill would permanently lower overall tax rates

DATE: May 7, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

The Blotter, May 3-6

Durango Police Department Monday 1:45 a.m. A man spray painted a window in the 600 block of Main Ave. Sunday 12:45 a.m. A plastic trash bin was on fire in the east 200 block of Eight...

DATE: May 6, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Bill to ban purchase, sale and transfer of so-called assault weapons in Colorado will be shelved

Sponsor of House Bill 1292 will ask for measure to be killed

DATE: May 6, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Colorado lawmakers reject push to prevent local short-term rental rules from applying to backcountry huts and cabins

Senate Bill 213, which was connected to the wealthy owner of a backcountry property outside Crested Butte, drew the ire of counties

DATE: May 6, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Littleton bus aide accused of assaulting disabled students appears in court, faces 10 additional charges

Arapahoe County prosecutors on Friday filed an additional 10 charges against a Littleton Public Schools bus aide who they allege repeatedly physically abused nonverbal autistic kids as they ...

DATE: May 5, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

The deal behind Colorado’s oil and gas deal: No new drilling policies until 2028

A grand bargain Gov. Jared Polis announced last week isn’t only intended to avert the current showdown over oil and gas development in Colorado. The political truce is engineered to prevent ...

DATE: May 5, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Analyzing 5 years of injuries, crashes and hit-and-runs at Colorado ski areas

The Colorado Sun spent two years assembling hard-to-get data

DATE: May 3, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Photos: People’s MarchAbout 300 people take to the street on Saturday in Durango

About 300 people take to the street on Saturday in Durango

Photos: Fort Lewis College basketballWomen’s and men’s basketball teams take on South Dakota Mines

Women’s and men’s basketball teams take on South Dakota Mines

Photos: Wrestling at Durango High SchoolDurango High School boys wrestling beat Bayfield High School Tuesday night

Durango High School boys wrestling beat Bayfield High School Tuesday night

Photos: Where there's smoke there's firefightersDurango firefighters take advantage of the old River City Hall building for training

Durango firefighters take advantage of the old River City Hall building for training

Photos: Durango plays Montezuma-Cortez in boys, girls high school basketballDurango girls and boys basketball teams defeat Montezuma-Cortez at DHS

Durango girls and boys basketball teams defeat Montezuma-Cortez at DHS

Year in photos: A look back at Southwest Colorado in 2024Each year brings some of the new and some of the old – breaking news and cherished traditions. It is the people, their emotions, different cultures and varied forms of entertainment that make for impactful images. Add to that Southwest Colorado’s gorgeous scenery, abundant wildlife and range of weather events, and you have the makings for stunning photos. We hope you enjoy Photo Editor Jerry McBride’s photos from 2024.

Each year brings some of the new and some of the old – breaking news and cherished traditions. It is...

Montezuma County DA Christian Hatfield charged with DWICharges come 16 weeks after crash near Farmington, New MexicoMontezuma County District Attorney Christian Hatfield was charged Friday with driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs 16 weeks after he crashed his SUV on U.S. Highway 64 outside Bloomfield.The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office charged Hatfield, 59, with petty misdemeanor charge of DWI and an open container in connection to the Aug. 30 single-car crash.The charges come after results from a blood test by the New Mexico Department of Health Scientific Laboratory showed alcohol and a drug in Hatfield’s body after the crash.

“The results show that at the time of the blood draw, which was approximately eleven hours after the time of the crash due to medical issues, were 0.05 g/100 ml of Ethanol and 0.04 mg/L of Zolpidem (Ambien). Both Ethanol and Ambien are Central Nervous System Depressants,” the law enforcement report states.Two vials of blood were taken from Hatfield at 1:33 p.m. Aug. 30, which was more than 12 hours after the crash occurred about 1 a.m. Those vials were received by the New Mexico Department of Health Scientific Laboratory at 10:26 a.m. Oct. 11, which was six weeks after the crash, according to records from the lab.An investigation into the blood warrant by The Journal newspaper in Cortez, Colorado, showed that the blood sample sat in a refrigerator at the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office until Oct. 3, because paperwork to send it to the state laboratory was not processed.“I think it’s a non-prosecutable case because of all the errors made by law enforcement,” said Arlon Stoker, a high-profile defense attorney secured by Hatfield to fight the charges.

The charges made by the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office are “based on the observations made by law enforcement officers on scene and the presence of intoxicating drugs and liquors in Christian's blood,” according to the report that was given to The Journal by the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government.Amanda Lavin, legal director for NMFOG, assisted The Journal in accessing public records from the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office in Aztec. The records had been redacted, leaving out Hatfield’s name and information about the blood warrant filed in San Juan County Magistrate Court.Public records requests by The Journal and the Tri-City Record went unresolved for 14 weeks.The Journal requested body camera footage and lapel camera video on Sept. 3.The Tri-City Record requested any and all warrants, investigative reports and laboratory reports as well as photos, lapel cam videos and dash cam videos on Oct. 23.On Dec. 9, Lavin made the same requests.

The Journal received access to photos and videos in an email on Dec. 19, and Lavin, after making a legal argument for unredacted information, received the full report Dec. 19 and was advised that charges would be forthcoming.The report detailing the crash states that Hatfield was found “unresponsive and barely able to stand” about 1 a.m. Aug. 30 near the intersection of U.S. Highway 64 and County Road 5099.Investigators and medics noted a “pungent” odor of alcohol coming from Hatfield, and investigators found “an open 12-ounce can of Mexican Lager with residual liquid inside,” an “empty wine glass,” and a “bottle of Ambien prescribed to Christian,” according to the report.The affidavit for search warrant for blood submitted by sheriff’s deputy Avery Killifer states he had an “opinion that the defendant was driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor or a controlled substance.” The deputy “placed the defendant under arrest” at the time, but Hatfield was taken to San Juan Regional Medical Center, because of “extensive injuries.”A summons was issued for Hatfield, and an arraignment is set for 8:30 a.m. Jan. 8 in Aztec Magistrate Court.

Charges come 16 weeks after crash near Farmington, New Mexico

Photos: Wreaths Across America honors fallen veteransDurango residents on Saturday honor those who served their country

Durango residents on Saturday honor those who served their country

Photos: Skyhawks men’s and women’s basketball Fort Lewis College men’s and women’s basketball lost to Regis on Saturday

Fort Lewis College men’s and women’s basketball lost to Regis on Saturday

Demons defeat Bobcats 62-47 on Friday at DHS

The Blotter, May 8

Effort to protect same-sex marriage at the polls kicks off in Colorado

Colorado lawmakers pass bipartisan property tax relief bill as 2024 legislative session comes to a close

Colorado House members join vote to save Speaker Mike Johnson

Colorado lawmakers mark boisterous end to legislative session

Top Democrats, Republicans join together on 11th-hour property tax deal

The Blotter, May 3-6

Bill to ban purchase, sale and transfer of so-called assault weapons in Colorado will be shelved

Colorado lawmakers reject push to prevent local short-term rental rules from applying to backcountry huts and cabins

Littleton bus aide accused of assaulting disabled students appears in court, faces 10 additional charges

The deal behind Colorado’s oil and gas deal: No new drilling policies until 2028

Analyzing 5 years of injuries, crashes and hit-and-runs at Colorado ski areas

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