When a drunk man got into a taxi and asked the driver to take him to a bank, I’m pretty sure this cab driver had no idea what he was getting himself into. When they pulled up to the bank, the man told the cab driver he would take care of the $25.50 bill when he was done in the bank. The man proceeded to walk into the bank and asked to speak with a manager. When talking to the manager, the man told him he was going to rob the bank and that he had a gun and explosives. He claimed he was going to blow the bank up if he didn’t get $100,000. Witnesses reported the man seemed drunk and when police arrived, the man did not cooperate. He was shocked with a stun gun and arrested. When he was searched, police did not find any guns or explosives, but they did find he was wearing two pairs of pants. He told police this was because he had planned to take one pair off and then no would recognize him as the robber. Well, you can’t say he didn’t plan ahead; it just wasn’t a well thought out plan.
What is Robbery in Fort Collins?
C.R.S 18-4-301 – Robbery – is defined by Colorado law as:
The man obviously used threats when he told the bank manager he would blow up the bank if he didn’t get the money. But, the fact that he threatened the use of deadly weapons, an explosive and a gun, his Robbery charge would be worsened to Aggravated Robbery.
Colorado law defines C.R.S. 18-4-302 – Aggravated Robbery – as:
- He is armed with a deadly weapon with intent, if resisted, to kill, maim, or wound the person robbed or any other person; or
- He knowingly wounds or strikes the person robbed or any other person with a deadly weapon or by the use of force, threats, or intimidation with a deadly weapon knowingly puts the person robbed or any other person in reasonable fear of death or bodily injury; or”
- He possesses any article used or fashioned in a manner to lead any person who is present reasonably to believe it to be a deadly weapon or represents verbally or otherwise that he is then and there so armed.
A person does not actually have to posses a deadly weapon to get this charge in Fort Collins, Loveland, or Estes Park. Having a object that resembles a deadly weapon or even verbally claiming to have one can result in this class 3 felony extraordinary risk crime, punishable with 4 to 16 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections (DOC).
What is Resisting Arrest in Larimer County?
When a Larimer County Deputy or Fort Collins police officer tells a person they are under arrest, they are required to follow the law enforcement officer’s commands. Any refusal can result in a Resisting Arrest charge.
C.R.S 18-8-103 – Resisting Arrest – is defined as:
(a) Using or threatening to use physical force or violence against the peace officer or another; or
(b) Using any other means which creates a substantial risk of causing bodily injury to the peace officer or another.
The man in the story refused to cooperate with police when they arrived at the bank. Because he had claimed to have deadly weapons, he put the police at risk and they used a Taser to physically restrain him. Resisting Arrest is a class 2 misdemeanor punishable with 3 to 6 months in Larimer, Boulder, or Grand County Jail.
What is Petty Theft?
Oddly enough, because the man didn’t end up paying for his cab ride, he is being charged with Petty Theft. Theft is charged when someone takes something of value of another with the intent to never give it back. In this case, the thing of value was the cab driver’s ride, which the man did not pay for, therefore justifying the Petty Theft charge. Petty Theft is charged when the thing of value is worth less than $50. Because the cab fare cost under $50.00, $25.50 to be exact, the charge would be Petty Theft. It’s a little ridiculous that with all the serious charges this man is facing, this low level petty offense is added.