Man evades state patrol following traffic stop

MONTROSE — When pleading wasn’t enough to prevent his arrest, a suspected speeder reportedly tried fleeing.

But Vicente Rodriguez-Montes’ alleged attempts only delayed the inevitable Monday night and he was captured about an hour after slipping away from the Colorado State Patrol.

“I was trying to do a takedown and put him down on the ground,” Trooper Cory Williams said Tuesday of the arrest. “But he kept his feet and got his arm away from me.”

According to an affidavit, the incident began when Williams saw Rodriguez-Montes traveling on South River Road at what seemed a high rate of speed. Williams clocked him at 58 mph in the 45 mph zone, and stopped the vehicle after it turned onto Gunnison Road.

At first, Rodriguez-Montes said he had no ID and allegedly gave his name as Jesus Ramirez, along with an expired insurance card that listed the vehicle’s owner as another man.

The name “Jesus Ramirez,” with the birth date Rodriguez-Montes allegedly provided came back with a felony warrant from California and notification that the individual was previously deported as an illegal.

When confronted, Rodriguez-Montes denied ever being in California and said he was returning to Mexico at the end of the year.

He began begging the trooper “no, no” after being told to exit the vehicle and allegedly tried to pull away his hand when Williams made to cuff him.

Williams reported he told Rodriguez-Montes not to move and in English and Spanish told him he was under arrest.

As they struggled, two other vehicles pulled up and asked if Williams needed help. “They saw me wrestling with him and asked if they could help and that’s the time he slipped away,” Williams said.

Rodriguez-Montes then ran down Gunnison Road, with Williams chasing.

Williams stopped after about 100 yards, then returned to the vehicle to take Rodriguez-Montes’ keys. He then gave chase in his patrol unit, but Rodriguez-Montes reportedly hopped a fence and vanished into the underbrush.

“He was in some real thick brush,” Williams said, also describing the area, near the river’s bottom, as marshy and rough in spots. “It was just incredibly thick brush.”

Rodriguez-Montes stayed hidden for close to an hour, while CSD Trooper Pat Averett and Sgt. Jerry Wiseman, Montrose County Sheriff’s deputies and a helicopter searched for him.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Joe Scott made the collar, after finding Rodriguez-Montes hiding in the bushes.

“There were about three or four deputies (around Rodriguez-Montes). They cuffed him and didn’t have any trouble with him from that point,” Williams said.

Scott could not be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon, because he was scheduled to work night shift.

“I’m just thrilled we could assist another agency,” Montrose County Undersheriff Kevin Walters said. “It just shows that with agencies cooperating, we have a better chance of succeeding.”

Williams said safety concerns were high during the incident. “There’s always concern, especially when you don’t know who the guy is. The same name (“Jesus Ramirez”) came back with an immigration entry, saying he had previously been deported.”

Rodriguez-Montes’ true identity was established when a pat-down search revealed his Mexican ID. Williams did not know his immigration status, but said in the affidavit Rodriguez-Montes came back revoked on an alcohol violation.

He was taken to jail on suspicion of resisting arrest, criminal impersonation, driving under revocation, speeding and no proof of insurance.

Formal charges are to be filed by Oct. 11. According to court records, Rodriguez-Montes was being held Tuesday on a $10,000, cash-only bond.