Monday, July 31, 2017

Help sought in investigation of Grand Junction man's death

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo - The Mesa County Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's help in piecing together the final hours of 27-year-old Coye Harper's life.

Harper was found dead in front of a driveway on Apple Blossom Road in Grand Junction the night of Saturday, July 22nd. 

The Grand Junction resident is believed to have gotten a ride home that night. The Mesa County Sheriff's investigators are asking for anyone who has information about Harper's whereabouts Saturday, July 22nd to call the Witness Tip Line (970) 244-3526. 

This case is still under investigation. 




UPDATE: Gateway shooting investigation

GATEWAY, Colo - The Mesa County Sheriff's Office is continuing to investigate the shooting that occurred in Gateway Sunday evening.

Rick Whited, 54, of Arizona is being charged with 5 counts of Attempted First Degree Murder (Class 2 Felony), 6 counts of Felony Menacing (Class 5 Felony).

All documents related to this case have been sealed by the courts.

This case is still under investigation. The Mesa County Sheriff's Office is still interviewing witnesses and working to identify victims of this incident.

If you have information about this incident please call the Witness Tip Line at (970) 244-3526.

Whited is currently being held at the Mesa County Detention Facility. For updated bond amounts on any inmate currently in our jail, visit our Inmate Inquiry System webpage.

For the previous press release on this incident click here. 


Sunday, July 30, 2017

Man arrested after shooting in Gateway

GATEWAY, Colo -  Rick Whited, 54, was arrested Sunday evening after reports of an active shooter in Gateway.

At 4:16 several law enforcement agencies responded to reports of a male shooting at cars passing by on Highway 141 from a truck parked a half mile north of the Gateway Canyons General Store.

Gateway Canyons Security Guards were the first on the scene. They engaged in gunfire with Whited and were able to pin him down until reinforcements arrived. The Mesa County Sheriff's Office, Grand Junction Police Department, Colorado State Patrol, Bureau of Land Management, and Montrose County Sheriff's Office all responded.

Whited was detained and arrested. He sustained minor injuries from the incident. No one was shot.

No civilian injuries were reported. At least one car was damaged.

An emergency notification went out to 106 homes in the area to advise them to shelter in place with windows and doors locked during the incident. The shelter in place has been lifted.

Highway 141 was closed for a couple of hours while the Mesa County Sheriff's Office investigated. It has since opened to traffic.

Whited will be transported to the Mesa County Detention Facility.






Thursday, July 13, 2017

Are you on Nextdoor?

MESA COUNTY, Colo - The Mesa County Sheriff's Office is encouraging you to get to know your neighbors! The social media network Nextdoor is making it easier than ever before.

Nextdoor is like Facebook, but it's private and you sign up via your address. Also all of your "friends" are your neighbors!

Residents use Nextdoor to discuss community issues, crime and safety, ask for recommendations, advertise events, or to sell those items collecting dust you've been meaning to get rid of.

The Mesa County Sheriff's Office has found the safest neighborhoods are the ones where you know and engage with your neighbors. In this digital age, Nextdoor allows you to do that from the convenience of your phone or home computer.

The Mesa County Sheriff's Office is on Nextdoor as well. As a law enforcement agency we are not a part of your private neighborhood group instead, we use the social media network like a virtual bulletin board. We can let specific neighborhoods know what is happening in their community. For example, if there are several car break-ins overnight on a street. We can alert people who live in the surrounding neighborhood to the recent criminal activity and offer preventive tips all through Nextdoor.  

We will not be able to "see" your conversations within your community, that is just for you and your neighbors. We will "see" what you comment on our posts or if you directly message us.

Nextdoor is a tool for MCSO to effectively share information on crime prevention and safety, public events, and emergency notifications specifically happening where you live! (Sign up your cell phones for alerts here!)

Nextdoor has really become the new virtual neighborhood watch. Residents are already organizing virtual crime watch through this social media platform and now the Mesa County Sheriff's Office can join the conversation and support residents with information and resources.
Nextdoor is not a replacement for 911, or a place to request emergency services, police services, report criminal or suspicious activity, file a report, etc. If you require emergency services, please call 911.


Learn more about Nextdoor and how to sign up for free here.




Friday, July 7, 2017

Trailheads and boat ramps target for thieves

MESA COUNTY, Colo. - The Mesa County Sheriff's Office wants to remind hikers to not keep valuables in the car while out on the trails. Thieves are once again targeting trailheads and boat ramps in the Valley.

The Mesa County Sheriff's Office is currently investigating two different reports of smash and grabs reported from the parking lots of outdoor recreation areas. The unknown suspect(s) are breaking car windows and stealing items from the cars.

One incident occurred on July 3rd in the morning hours  at the Spanish Trailhead and another on July 6th in the evening hours in the parking lot on D road by the Clifton Sewer Facility.

The Mesa County Sheriff's Office wants to remind everyone to not leave valuables inside your car while hiking, mountain biking or boating. Any time you leave your car unattended make sure anything inside your car is secure and is not within sight of a would-be thief. 

Two teens found safe after all night search

MESA COUNTY, Colo - Two teens were found safe this morning after spending the night lost on the Grand Mesa.

The two teens were reported missing around 8:30 p.m. Thursday by one of the boys' parents after they didn't return to their campsite from a planned hike around Big Meadows Reservoir.

Mesa County Search and Rescue Ground Team, ATV Team, Communications Team, and Mesa County Rural Area Deputies immediately began searching for the two friends. Resources remained on the Grand Mesa all night.

The teens were located safe and sound early this morning.

The Mesa County Sheriff's Office wants to remind the public to always carry plenty of water when going out into the wilderness especially in the summer heat. Also always make a plan of where you are going to hike, bike or recreate and when you plan on returning. Cell phone maps and GPS do not always work on Colorado trails.

When going into the wilderness to recreate make sure you are prepared for the conditions. That includes carrying a CORSAR card. The Colorado Outdoor Recreation Search and Rescue card costs only $3 for 1 year or $12 for 5 years and it helps reimburse for the costs of Search and Rescues. Mesa County does not charge people for rescues. To get your CORSAR card and learn more about the program click here.

Mesa County Search and Rescue Teams are 100% volunteer and relay on donations for training and equipment. To support our local volunteers and learn more about their program click here and here. 

Thursday, July 6, 2017

SCAM ALERT: Three people lost hundreds on Jury Duty Warrant Scam

MESA COUNTY, Colo - The Mesa County Sheriff's Office is getting more reports of people falling victim to a phone scam where the caller is impersonating a deputy who says you will be arrested if you don't pay up.

This week, three people have lost anywhere from $500-$1,500 each in this SCAM. 

A person is calling people in the county claiming to be a deputy with the Mesa County Sheriff's Office. They are using several names, some made up, some of actual deputies. A REAL deputy would NEVER call you to inform you of a warrant out for your arrest. We would just come and arrest you. 

There are two versions of this phone scam hitting the Valley, one the scammer tells the intended victim that they have a warrant for their arrest, the second they are told they missed jury duty and have a summons.

In both cases they are told if they don't take care of the citation by paying money over the phone they will come and arrested them.

The scammer tells them they need to get a Green Dot prepaid cash card for a large sum of money and then call a (970) phone number and give them the number on the card.When you call the number back there is a voice recording saying,"You've reached the Mesa County Sheriff's Department..."

Why people fall victim

It sounds convincing to people because the scammers ask the victims to go to the Sheriff's Office to pay the warrant. Sounds real right? However, BEFORE you go, they ask for the numbers on the PREPAID CARD, to verify you actually did what they said. Well, the TRUTH is all they need are those number to STEAL your money. They don't need the cards, or you to come down the Sheriff's Office. So when you show up to the Sheriff's Office ready to pay.....the scammers already emptied the money from the cards from the far off country they are located in.

The scammer has a lot of details, like asking them to come down to the Sheriff's Office, judges' names, courtroom numbers, citation numbers, even background music to sound convincing, but it is all a FALSE.

THIS IS A SCAM.

The Mesa County Sheriff's Office or the Mesa County court system would NEVER contact you by phone and demand money. Anyone who does have an actual warrant for their arrest would be contacted in person.

If someone calls you and asked to be paid buy a PREPAID CARD they are LYING to you. No REAL business or government agency asked people to go to a store to buy something to get paid. We all use good old cash or check.

Remember it's the Mesa County Sheriff's Office, NOT Department and the REAL phone number is (970) 244-3500.

If ever you are contacted and not sure of the caller's legitimacy call the company or Sheriff's Office yourself. Not the phone number they give you, but the one you look up yourself. The Mesa County Sheriff's Office or any other company the scammer is pretending to be will be happy to verify the information for you.

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Crime Stoppers: Crime of the Week

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo - This week Crime Stoppers needs your help in locating the subjects involved in a theft and burglary. 

Sometime between 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 14th and 6 a.m. on Monday, May 15th, unknown subjects unlawfully entered the Bookcliff Country Club Equipment Shop located at 2730 G Road.

 Once inside, the suspects removed numerous Craftsman and DeWalt hand and power tools, ½” and 3/8” Drive Air Ratchets and a Digital Tachometer. Also, three Motorola radios along with their chargers were removed from a desk. The total estimated property loss is over $4,900. 

If you know the identity or whereabouts of the subjects involved in this crime, please contact Crime Stoppers at 241-7867. Information reported to Crime Stoppers that leads to an arrest can earn you up to $1,000 cash reward and you will remain completely anonymous. For more information, see us at www.241stop.com. 

GJPD# 2017-29594

Monday, July 3, 2017

Man arrested after road rage incident

MESA COUNTY, Colo - One person is in custody after a road rage incident on I-70 near mile marker 65 early this morning.

Mesa County Sheriff deputies received reports of a vehicle shooting at another car in an apparent road rage incident on I-70 near mile marker 65 around 6:30 this morning.

The circumstances as to how the road rage incident began are still being investigated. The victim's car did sustain one bullet hole during the incident. No one was hurt.

Based on witnesses description deputies where able to identity the suspect's vehicle. Rifle police located it in Rifle and arrested Jared Erdmann, 36, a short time later.

Erdmann is currently being held in the Mesa County Detention Facility. For updated bond amounts on any inmate currently in our jail, visit our Inmate Inquiry System webpage.