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A man allegedly led police on a high-speed chase before Christmas, with the vehicle reaching speeds of 100 mph. He appeared in court from the Montezuma County Detention Center the following day.
Around 10:30 p.m. on Dec. 22, Cortez Police officer Kadan Sharp observed a silver Mitsubishi driven by Jeremiah Maestas, 22, who had two warrants for his arrest. Maestas had also reportedly been part of a high-speed chase in La Plata County on Dec. 18.
As Sharp began to turn around to contact Maestas’ vehicle, Maestas drove quickly through the stop sign at South Oak Street and West Seventh Street, failing to yield when Sharp turned on his overhead lights.
Maestas then passed a vehicle on the left between South Oak Street and South Chestnut Street, running other stop signs and a red traffic signal.
He then drove eastbound on East Main Street, reaching 93 mph in a 25 mph zone, according to Sharp’s police report. There was no traffic on Main Street at the time of the chase.
At the intersection of East Main Street and North Dolores Road, Maestas turned onto North Dolores Road and northbound on Colorado Highway 145, reaching 100 mph. He slowed down to 88 mph once he got to the intersection of Colorado 145 and Colorado Highway 184.
Sgt. Vance Carver was the lead vehicle in the pursuit, but terminated the chase after eight minutes and about 11.4 miles.
Not long after, Sharp was informed by dispatch that a vehicle matching Meastas’ was abandoned near 201 N. Eighth St. in Dolores. Deputies from the Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office confirmed it was the same vehicle, and it was found to be unoccupied. Meastas was arrested in Dolores.
In the vehicle, a deputy found tinfoil with suspected fentanyl residue. Other controlled substances and drug paraphernalia were found in the vehicle as well.
This article was updated Jan. 3 to report that Maestas appeared in court Dec. 23 from jail. Previously, the article incorrectly stated he had not appeared in court.
