Police Chief Russell Johnson says that a vehicle reported stolen out of Canon City nearly struck a Salida Police Officer during a felony stop.
During the evening hours of Thursday, January 14th, 2021 Salida Police Officers were notified of a pursuit involving the Colorado State Patrol and Fremont County Sheriff’s Office involving a stolen vehicle from Pueblo, Colorado. The pursuit was terminated by law enforcement on US Highway 50 in the Big Horn Sheep Canyon between Salida and Canon City.
Later that night, Salida Police Officers were notified that the vehicle was at the McDonald’s restaurant in Salida. Officers located the vehicle parked in the McDonald’s parking lot and attempted to conduct a felony stop contact of the driver. The driver of the vehicle did not comply with commands, and subsequently drove recklessly out of the parking lot nearly striking an officer who was standing near his vehicle which had been positioned to contain the suspect. The officer was forced to jump from the path of the vehicle to avoid being struck.
The vehicle then exited the parking lot and turned westbound on US Highway 50. Salida Police Officers pursued the vehicle for a short distance with the assistance of deputies from the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office. The pursuit was terminated after a short distance to prevent further endangerment to the public.
The vehicle was later contacted by the Colorado State Patrol and Saguache County Sheriff’s Office in the San Luis Valley. Law enforcement disabled the vehicle using tire deflation and a suspect was taken into custody.
She was later identified as Krystin Schletter, 35 of Pueblo, Colorado. In addition to criminal charges in other jurisdictions, Schletter will be facing charges of 1st Degree Assault of a Police Officer, felony vehicular eluding, driving under restraint and other possible criminal charges.
