El Paso County deputies successfully deployed surveillance technology to quickly recover a stolen vehicle and arrest two individuals last week, the sheriff's office reported. The deputies, utilizing Flock Safety cameras, were notified about the stolen silver Saab sedan when it was spotted driving on Saturday, just before midnight.
The patrol deputies were able to swiftly track down the vehicle after the cameras, installed with license plate reading capabilities, indicated the Saab was still reported as stolen. The deputies intercepted the vehicle at an apartment complex on Hathaway Drive, but the situation escalated when the car struck a Colorado State Patrol vehicle while trying to reverse escape.
As obtained by the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, the deputies executed a tactical maneuver to block the car, preventing any further attempts to flee or potential injuries. The driver, 21-year-old Erica Cadena, and the passenger, also 21, Braedan Shumway, were both taken into custody.
A subsequent search of the vehicle led to the discovery of a small amount of fentanyl in Cadena's wallet, along with other drug paraphernalia. Shumway was found to have methamphetamine and was charged with Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance. Cadena now faces multiple charges, including Motor Vehicle Theft and 2nd Degree Assault. She was booked into the El Paso County Jail.
"This incident demonstrates the value of Flock Safety cameras and how they serve as a powerful tool for law enforcement," El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal said, as per the El Paso County Sheriff's Office. He praised the recent change in Colorado law, which has toughened penalties for motor vehicle theft, suggesting that these tools and laws together work to quickly bring criminals to justice and restore property to victims. No injuries were reported among law enforcement during the encounter, though the CSP vehicle incurred minor damage.
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