An 18-year-old man is facing a string of criminal and traffic counts after Weld County deputies say he refused to stop during a well-being check and drove a van into a mobile-home park with a child inside. The incident involved an active protection order and ended without serious injuries, according to authorities.
In a Facebook post, the Weld County Sheriff's Office said deputies were sent out after dispatchers heard a woman screaming near the southbound I-25 on-ramp. Deputies found a white van stopped on the west side of the ramp and identified the driver as 18-year-old Daniel Loera.
According to the sheriff’s office, Loera was arrested on suspicion of vehicular eluding, violation of a protection order, child abuse - negligence, criminal mischief (between $300 and $1,000; business; domestic-violence related), harassment (strikes/shoves/kicks; domestic violence), driving under restraint, and multiple traffic offenses including failing to stop at stop signs and improper use of flashing turn signals.
Legal Context
Colorado law treats protection-order violations, eluding, and child-abuse allegations as serious matters. Violation of a protection order is a crime under C.R.S. § 18-6-803.5, according to Justia. Vehicular eluding can be charged under C.R.S. § 18-9-116.5, as per Colorado Public Law, or under the traffic eluding statute, C.R.S. § 42-4-1413, per Colorado Public Law.
Child abuse by negligence is defined in C.R.S. § 18-6-401, according to Justia, with penalties that depend on the degree of recklessness and whether anyone is injured.
What Deputies Say Happened
According to the sheriff’s account, dispatchers first heard the woman screaming south of mile marker 240 on the I-25 southbound on-ramp. Deputies then found the van and say it was driven into River Valley Village Mobile Home Park at about 15 to 25 mph.
The post states that a victim alleged Loera pushed and shoved her and damaged her phone, and that a child was inside the vehicle during the episode. Deputies say Loera was taken into custody at a trailer lot without the use of force. Authorities reported that the encounter ended without serious injuries and urged anyone who believes they are experiencing domestic violence to contact local law enforcement.
Help and Next Steps
Weld County authorities reiterated that victims and witnesses can contact the sheriff’s office with tips and that existing protection orders will be enforced.
For immediate, confidential support, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available at National Domestic Violence Hotline or by phone at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE). Local advocacy groups can also assist with shelter, safety planning, and legal resources.
