On August 29, 2024, at approximately 10:35 AM, Salida Police Officers responded to a suspicious person call at the Walmart parking lot. The reporting party stated that the occupants of a green Honda CRV were in and out of consciousness and requested a welfare check.
Officers arrived and spoke to the driver, identified as Justin Kirk, 44, of Colorado Springs. As they were speaking to Kirk, he was displaying signs of being under the influence of a controlled substance. Officers also saw drug paraphernalia inside the vehicle. When officers asked Kirk to step out of the vehicle, a search of Kirk’s person was conducted for officer safety. While conducting the search, officers found a bag of pills inside his pocket, later discovered to be fentanyl.
Kirk also had a nation-wide warrant out of El Paso, Texas for felony drug possession with a $40,000 cash bond. The passenger in the vehicle was Paige Gibbs, 31, out of Colorado Springs. Gibbs was also in possession of paraphernalia and drugs. During the contact, officers recovered: 4.4 grams of methamphetamine, several Xanax pills, and 358 fentanyl pills.
Kirk was charged with the following and his bond was set at $5,000 cash/surety.
CRS16-9-103 – Flight to Avoid Prosecution
CRS 18-18-405 – Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance
CRS 18-18-403.5 – Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance
CRS 18-18-428 – Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
CRS 42-4-1301 – Driving Under the Influence of Drugs
Gibbs was charged with the following and her bond was set at $500 cash/surety.
CRS 18-18-405 – Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance
CRS 18-18-428 – Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Getting these types of drugs off the street is vital to the safety and wellbeing of our citizens.
