MAN GETS LIFE AFTER DOUSING GIRLFRIEND WITH GAS
A 34yearold Arvada man, who doused his girlfriend with gasoline and lighted her on fire in front of her children at a remote backcountry campsite, has been sentenced to life in prison.
John Vasquez was sentenced Tuesday in Georgetown for the heinous murder of Christina ArchuletaBlasier, according to the Clear Creek County District Attorney’s Office.
Vasquez was convicted by jury, after a fourweek trial, on April 26 of multiple felonies including firstdegree murder (arson), assault causing serous bodily injury, child abuse causing serious bodily injury, child abuse, violation of a protective order and arson, according to a news release.
The victim, ArchuletaBlasier, suffered thirddegree burns over 60 percent of her body in the June 2016 attack in the Arapahoe National Forest south of Idaho Springs.
She was flown by helicopter to University Hos pital in Aurora in critical condition and died just over a month later, on July 20, 2016.
One of her sons, age 6 at the time, suffered severe burns on his hands as he frantically attempted to put the fire out. He has since recovered.
Vasquez was also sentenced to 20 years for child abuse causing serious bodily injury and one year for criminal impersonation.
Excaregiver for atrisk adult sentenced in the drowning death of her charge.
A former caregiver has been sentenced to jail and five years probation in the death of an atriskadult who was in her care.
Victoria Pletting, who earlier pleaded guilty to felony criminally negligent homicide in the death of Buddhi Rai, has already served all but two days of her jail time, according to a Colorado Attorney General’s Office news release Tuesday.
Rai, a resident of the Wheat Ridge Regional Center, received atrisk care for multiple diagnoses, including developmental disabilities, a severe seizure disorder and dysphagia, which resulted in him receiving all of his nourishment from a Gtube, prosecutors said.
Due in part to a tendency to pull out his Gtube, which then necessitated medical care, and his frequent tonicclonic seizures, supervision protocols required staff to maintain lineofsight supervision of Buddhi Rai at all times when he was awake,” the release said. “Despite these requirements, on Nov. 20, 2014, Pletting left Buddhi Rai unattended in a bathtub, and additionally advised a less experienced employee that it was permissible to leave him alone in the bathtub.”
Tornado touches down in southeast Weld County.
A “rope tornado” touched down at 2:19 p.m. Tuesday about four miles southeast of the Prospect Valley area of Weld County, southeast of Keenesburg, said Russell Danielson, a meteorologist and spokesman with the weather service.
The tornado was on the ground for about three to five minutes and it tore through farmland, Danielson said. There were no reports of structures damaged or injuries.