2 sentenced to prison in 2021 high-speed chase near Highlands Ranch
DENVER (KDVR) — A 42-year-old man was sentenced Tuesday to 20 years in the Department of Corrections for shooting at a sheriff’s deputy during a pursuit, and his co-defendant was sentenced to 10 years for her part in the crime.
Jorge Armando Guzman, 42, of Aurora, was sentenced on charges of attempted first-degree murder, vehicular eluding and possession of a weapon by a previous offender after pleading guilty, according to a release from the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
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Guzman’s co-defendant, Melinda Maldonado, 40, was also sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty to charges of motor vehicle theft, vehicular eluding and accessory to a crime.
Guzman had “just been released” from the Denver County Jail, when he was picked up by Maldonado to allegedly steal catalytic converters off cars, according to the release.
“As a felon, this defendant should not have had a gun in the first place,” Senior Deputy District Attorney Corrie Caler said.
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According to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, the incident started at about 3:45 a.m. on Sept. 5, 2021, when a Douglas County deputy went to the 9700 block of Millstone Court for a vehicle trespass complaint. A homeowner had called because of two people attempting to steal car parts.
According to the DA’s office, the homeowner yelled at the pair, which caused them to flee in a white SUV.
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Later that night, a deputy spotted an SUV matching the suspect vehicle description and attempted a traffic stop. According to the DA’s office, the driver refused to pull over and reached speeds over 100 mph while attempting to flee. During the chase, a passenger in the SUV fired five shots at the deputy behind them.
That passenger was identified as Guzman, according to the DA’s office.
“These defendants have no connection to the Highlands Ranch area and came down here for the sole purpose of committing crimes,” District Attorney John Kellner said in a release. “Anyone who is willing to shoot at a deputy and drive recklessly in an attempt to get away deserves a sentence in the Department of Corrections.”
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The chase ended when the SUV crashed on the northbound Interstate 25 off-ramp for Arapahoe Road. Guzman attempted to flee from the crash on foot but was caught. Maldonado was taken into custody immediately.
On top of his 20-year sentence in the Department of Corrections, Guzman will be subject to five years of mandatory parole after his release.
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