HOMELESS CAMP HEATER STARTED FIRE
LONGMONT» An wildfire that scorched 6 to 7 acres in Sandstone Ranch east of Longmont overnight Sunday into Monday was sparked by a heater in a homeless encampment, fire officials concluded Monday.
There were no injuries, and the fire did not threaten structures.
Longmont Fire spokeswoman Molly Cropp said the origin of the fire was determined to be an abandoned Coleman camp-fuel heater that ignited combustibles on the south side of the soccer fields in Spring Gulch around 8:30 p.m. Sunday.
Cropp said nobody will be charged with starting the fire, but some people who had been in the area could be cited with trespassing in the park after hours. As of 4 p.m. Monday, the fire was about 90 percent contained.
El Paso County needle exchange appears dead.
SPRINGS» A needle COLORADO exchange won’t be opening in El Paso County for the foreseeable future.
The proposed program met quick and occasionally stiff opposition from most of the county’s nine Board of Health members Monday morning.
Although no formal vote was held, a majority of the board told El Paso County Public Health employees not to pursue an agreement with a nonprofit to create an exchange along Colorado Springs’ west side — effectively killing the measure.
The exchange aimed to dispose of used syringes and offer free needles to people who inject drugs as a means to combat the spread of hepatitis C and HIV.
Bicyclist dies from injuries.
COUNTY» The BOULDER bicyclist who crashed while riding on Olde Stage Road last week died during the weekend from his injuries, Boulder County sheriff’s officials said.
The 48-year-old cyclist, who has not yet been publicly identified, reportedly crashed at 12:23 p.m. Friday in the middle of the 6600 block of Olde Stage Road. He was found unconscious and transported to Boulder Community Health’s Foothills Hospital with severe injuries, but sheriff’s spokeswoman Carrie Haverfield said the man died Sunday.
The Boulder County coroner’s office said Monday it was not ready to identify the cyclist.
Haverfield said the crash remains under investigation, but noted deputies still do not have any evidence a vehicle was involved.
Driver in fatal foothills crash sentenced to probation, community service.
BOULDER» The Boulder man accused of driving a truck into a mine shaft in the foothills last year — killing both of his teenage passengers — was sentenced to three years of probation after entering into a plea deal. Isaac Lutz, 32, pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment and reckless driving, according to the district attorney’s office. In addition to the probation, Lutz was ordered to complete 750 hours of community service. In exchange for the plea, prosecutors dropped charges including two counts of vehicular homicide.