(EL PASO COUNTY, Colo.) — The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office (EPSO) has confirmed the arrest of a man after finding him with a stolen truck, with methamphetamine and children inside with him.
On Monday, Sept. 29, around 10:30 p.m., EPSO deputies were performing a routine patrol close to the Econolodge Hotel near the entrance of Peterson Space Force Base. EPSO considers this a high-intensity patrol location due to persistent instances of car theft, weapons offenses, and narcotics-related crime.
During the patrol, EPSO members saw a man in a black shirt near a truck matching the description of a stolen 1992 Ford F-150 pickup. When more deputies arrived, the man, now identified as 31-year-old Jonathan Madrid, got into the truck and tried to leave.
To prevent his escape, deputies blocked Madrid off with a patrol car, flashing their emergency lights. This is when EPSO saw a woman and two children inside the F-150. Madrid still tried to drive past the patrol car in front of him, prompting deputies to use a Tactical Intervention Maneuver to block him in.
From here, Madrid backed the stolen truck into another EPSO car, bringing it to a stop.
Upon arresting Madrid, EPSO found that he was on parole for robbery and motor vehicle theft. A search of the truck during his arrest also revealed methamphetamine, heroin, and drug paraphernalia.
Madrid has since been booked into the El Paso County Jail on the charges of Motor Vehicle Theft, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Attempted Vehicle Eluding, and Child Abuse.
“Our deputies acted decisively in a high-risk situation, ensuring the safe recovery of a stolen vehicle while removing a repeat offender from our community. Their swift actions not only protected the public but also safeguarded two children from further exposure to dangerous criminal behavior.”
– El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal
