Early this morning, an episode of planned criminal activity was halted by the swift response of the El Paso County Sheriff's deputies. A 9-1-1 call alerted authorities to a male behaving unpredictably with what appeared to be a rifle outside a convenience store in the 1500 block of Meadowbrook Parkway. Upon arrival, deputies engaged the suspect, who then initiated a chase, according to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
The deputies set a perimeter and combed the area, tracking the suspect as he attempted to steal another vehicle on Woolsey Heights. In an attempt to evade capture, the suspect led deputies through a creek bed and into the Claremont Ranch neighborhood. However, their pursuit concluded when the deputies apprehended him on Dewhirst Drive, without any further complications. The Sheriff’s Office reported that the firearms the suspect possessed were, in fact, realistic replicas and that the vehicle in question was stolen from Lincoln County.
After his arrest, the suspect, 32-year-old Nathaniel Strawder, was discovered to have connections to a string of vehicle break-ins and burglaries spanning Lincoln County and eastern El Paso County. Strawder now faces multiple charges, including Motor Vehicle Theft, 2nd Degree Burglary, and Possession of a Controlled Substance. He is being held at the El Paso County Jail on a $10,000 bond. The El Paso County Sheriff's Office has also indicated the suspect may be slapped with additional charges as their investigation presses forward.
