CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — A man was injured and a woman was taken into custody following an hourslong crime spree that started in Thornton and ended in Castle Rock early Wednesday morning.
Just before 5 a.m. Wednesday, Thornton police found a vehicle officers thought was stolen at 58th Ave. and Interstate 76 in Adams County. While attempting to contact the driver, the suspect took off and fired at least two shots upon officers as he drove away before a chase began, according to Douglas County Sheriff Daren M. Weekly, who provided an update as to how events unfolded earlier in the day.
The driver of the allegedly stolen car then continued on into Douglas County, where the sheriff’s office took over around County Line Road and Interstate 25.
As deputies gave chase, the driver failed to pull over and continued to drive in a reckless manner, swerving toward a deputy’s patrol car before getting off at exit 182/Wolfensberger Rd. in Castle Rock, investigators said, as the driver continued west and then turned south on Plum Creek Pkwy.
To stop him, deputies deployed stop sticks which did not work the first time, and the driver swerved toward a deputy who was setting up the sticks a second time, which worked this time around, according to Weekly.
As the driver continued on Plum Creek Pkwy, he “intentionally crashed into the front of the 7-11 store,” just east of Wilcox St., deputies said. A clerk and a customer were inside the store at the time but both were unharmed.
Officer involved shooting that started in Thornton. Vehicle was pursed into Castle Rock. DCSO deputies were involved. 1 suspect shot, on the way to the hospital. 2nd person in custody, Deputies and officers not injured. pic.twitter.com/EX76reig1I
— DC Sheriff (@dcsheriff) October 11, 2023
“When deputies converged on the suspect car, the driver pointed a firearm at deputies and refused commands to put the weapon down. The deputies fired on the suspect, hitting him several times,” a spokesperson with the sheriff’s office said in a news release Wednesday afternoon.
The suspect – identified as 32-year-old Kyle Williamson – was taken to a hospital and underwent surgery. He is expected to survive, deputies said. Williamson’s passenger, 36-year-old Hannah Woolard, was taken into custody and was not injured in the crash.
No officers were injured, but the Douglas County deputies who shot the suspect were placed on administrative leave per department policy. The 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) will be investigating the shooting.
The investigation remains active and ongoing, deputies said.
Officer involved shooting at the 7-11 on the south side of Castle Rock. Large police response and Plum Creek westbound is diverted onto Perry Street. Wilcox is open and access to I-25 is open. You can see the pickup in the store and lots of evidence markers in the parking lot.… pic.twitter.com/rXLMOikv3A
— Jayson Luber (@Denver7Traffic) October 11, 2023
East Plum Creek Parkway was temporarily closed and drivers were diverted onto Perry Street, but it was reopened just before 7 a.m. Wednesday.
Both westbound lanes to I-25 were open during the shooting investigation, but one eastbound lane was closed past the 7-Eleven at the intersection of East Plum Creek Parkway and Wilcox Street, as of 7:45 a.m., Denver7 Traffic Expert Jayson Luber said.
Wilcox Street was open, and customers could get to the Safeway store in that area.
