A 24-year-old Centennial man has been sentenced to five years in prison after a January car chase that tore through Castle Pines, Highlands Ranch and Littleton at speeds topping 100 mph, ending with deputies finding him hiding beneath a porch wearing only his underwear. Zakary Dean Hirschfield pleaded guilty to felony eluding a peace officer in connection with the pursuit.
The chase began when a Douglas County sheriff's deputy pulled Hirschfield over for speeding in Castle Pines, according to the Denver Gazette. Instead of stopping, authorities said Hirschfield accelerated and drove his vehicle toward the deputy, who had to jump out of the way to avoid being struck.
From there, authorities said Hirschfield fled through Highlands Ranch and Littleton, reaching speeds of more than 100 mph. Investigators said he crossed medians and drove into oncoming traffic before crashing into another vehicle and fleeing on foot. A passenger in Hirschfield's car later told deputies she had repeatedly pleaded with him to stop.
An Hour-Long Manhunt Ends Under a Porch
Authorities launched an extensive search involving deputies, specialized units and aerial resources after the crash. About an hour after the initial traffic stop, deputies located Hirschfield hiding beneath a porch, wearing only his underwear. A search of his vehicle turned up cocaine and drug paraphernalia, according to the same report.
Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly praised his department's efforts to apprehend Hirschfield, saying deputies would catch fleeing suspects and hold them accountable. Per the outlet, Weekly said Hirschfield was headed to prison after learning the hard way that putting deputies and the public at risk would not be tolerated in Douglas County.
A Troubled History Before the Chase
Hirschfield was not new to the courts. In November 2024, he was sentenced to probation and community service after being convicted of attempted distribution of fentanyl through a plea agreement, per the Denver Gazette's reporting.
What happened to that probation afterward is described differently by two outlets. The Denver Gazette reports his probation was revoked less than three months after that November 2024 sentence and later reinstated in June 2025. KRDO reports his probation was revoked three months after it was granted, with the DA's office saying it was re-awarded to him in June 2025. KRDO also reports that a motion to revoke his probation was filed in Arapahoe County in August 2025, five months before the pursuit.
DA Says Hirschfield Should Have Already Been Behind Bars
District Attorney George Brauchler said other law enforcement agencies had opportunities to incarcerate Hirschfield before the dangerous episode unfolded, according to the Denver Gazette's account. Brauchler said Hirschfield should have been behind bars a long time ago, a pointed critique of how the case moved through the system before the January chase.
