A driver who eluded police at high speed from Mancos to Cortez on Oct. 17 was clocked driving more than 100 mph on U.S. Highway 160 and made dangerous passes, according to an incident report from the Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office.
The suspected driver of the Honda Crosstour – Griselda Edith Lobos of Queens, New York — then allegedly caused a two-vehicle crash on South Broadway in Cortez, that caused injuries.
Lobos and her husband, Max Toledo-Rojas, were arrested and face numerous charges.
Montezuma County deputy Thomas Frost first clocked the suspect vehicle at 104 mph east of Mancos and attempted to make a traffic stop, but the driver failed to yield and sped away westward.
Sgt. Allen Phelps instructed Sheriff’s Office units to discontinue pursuit, and Frost said he complied.
Deputy Jacob Lanyon was positioned at the McElmo Flume pullout, about 4.7 miles from downtown Cortez, and clocked the vehicle at 116 mph as it headed west toward the city. Lanyon said he activated emergency equipment and pulled in behind the vehicle in an attempt to make a second contact.
The vehicle “sped up even more and very dangerously passed a line of four other vehicles in a no-passing zone on a blind curve,” Lanyon stated in the report.
The vehicle continued into Cortez at a high rate of speed. Lanyon followed with emergency lights on in an attempt to clear traffic, and stated he was not attempting to pursue the vehicle. He then deactivated emergency equipment until he heard of the crash.
Deputy Marc West responded to the report of the speeding vehicle with emergency lights on, then turned them off when instructed to not pursue, according to the incident report.
As he drove east on U.S. 160, he clocked the suspect vehicle traveling west at 120 mph in a 65 mph zone near the CDOT rest stop, 8 miles from downtown Cortez , and observed a young female in the driver’s seat. West wrote in the report that he turned around and activated emergency equipment in an attempt to maintain speed with the vehicle in the event it was stopped or it crashed.
He then heard Sgt. Angelo Martinez, with the Cortez Police Department, state over the radio that police were not in pursuit, only maintaining traffic.
Deputy Grant ZeInicek also responded to the report of a speeding vehicle driving toward Cortez on U.S. 160. East of Cortez, he observed a group of juveniles walking on the roadway, and placed his patrol car next to them for protection as the suspect vehicle sped past.
He then turned to pursue the vehicle, according to the report, and observed the suspect pass and nearly cause a head-on crash with an eastbound vehicle. ZeInicek then backed off on his speed and fell in behind another deputy’s vehicle.
According to an arrest affidavit, there was probable cause to arrest Lobos on suspicion of vehicular eluding causing bodily injury, identity theft, vehicular assault, criminal possession of a financial device, criminal possession of identification document, reckless driving, speeding more than 40 mph over the limit, driving without a driver’s license, reckless endangerment and passing on a shoulder.
Lobos, 24, also had an active warrant for charges of credit card fraud, according to the arrest affidavit.
Passenger Toledo-Rojas, also was arrested and had an active warrant for alleged fraud. He and Lobos are married.
Both remain in custody at the Montezuma County Detention Center. Lobos has a $20,000 bond, and Toledo-Rojas has a $100,000 bond.
Their next court date, for filing of charges, is Nov. 4.
