Man shot by Larimer County deputy on I-25 charged, jailed after hospital release

Sady Swanson, Fort Collins Coloradoan
·3 min read

The man shot Monday by a Larimer County Sheriff's Office deputy following a pursuit through Wellington and Fort Collins has been arrested.

The pursuit of the man began at 2:06 p.m. at the Family Dollar in Wellington, where deputies were called to respond to a report of a suspicious person. After a short interaction, the man reportedly fled the store in pickup truck and a chase ensued, according to a news release from Fort Collins police Friday afternoon.

Deputies tried several things to stop the man, including a driving maneuver referred to as the Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT maneuver) and road spikes, according to the release, but they weren't successful.

The chase went south on Interstate 25 in Wellington, then west on Richards Lake Road, south on Larimer County Road 9, east on Mountain Vista Drive back to I-25 southbound, according to police.

Fort Collins police say this is the route Larimer County Sheriff's Office deputies pursued a man after he fled Family Dollar in Wellington the afternoon of Monday.
Fort Collins police say this is the route Larimer County Sheriff's Office deputies pursued a man after he fled Family Dollar in Wellington the afternoon of Monday.

The chase ended on I-25 at Mulberry Street at 2:24 p.m.

Following the end of the chase, one deputy shot and injured the man. He was taken to the hospital and was treated for his injuries.

The man, who police identified as 35-year-old Dustin Bartles, was released from the hospital Wednesday and booked into the Larimer County Jail on outstanding warrants from Arapahoe County on multiple felony assault charges.

Bartles is accused of multiple felonies and misdemeanors connected with Monday's events, including first-degree assault, attempted manslaughter, felony menacing and eluding.

The Critical Incident Response Team was activated to investigate the incident. Fort Collins Police Services will lead the investigation. Police said they do not plan to release any additional information until after the CIRT investigation is completed.

Investigators are hoping to speak with people who witnessed the chase, particularly on Mountain Vista Drive or when it stopped at Mulberry Street and I-25. Witnesses can email tipsline@fcgov.com or call 970-416-2825.

Bartles remains in the Larimer County Jail on a $50,000 cash bond. He is next scheduled to appear in court Feb. 18.

How CIRT investigations work

The 8th Judicial District Critical Incident Response Team, or CIRT, was formed in 2015 in accordance with a new state law requiring a multi-agency team to investigate "an incident involving the discharge of a firearm by a peace officer that resulted in injury or death."

The team is automatically and immediately activated when a police officer is involved in a shooting. The agency that employs the officer or officers involved in a shooting is responsible for alerting the team.

CIRT can also investigate incidents involving officers that result in serious injury or death, including car crashes, as well as incidents in the Larimer County Jail.

Fort Collins Police Services, Loveland Police Department and the Larimer County Sheriff's Office take turns being the lead agency for police shooting investigations. Each year, the responsibility rotates to a different agency.

Agencies involved in the investigations include: Windsor Police Department, Timnath Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Estes Park Police Department, Colorado State University Police Department, Colorado State Patrol and the Larimer County District Attorney's Office.

An agency cannot investigate itself.

After a CIRT investigation is completed, the report is presented to the district attorney, who decides if any criminal charges will be filed related to the incident.

All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in court. Arrests and charges are merely accusations by law enforcement until, and unless, a suspect is convicted of a crime.

Sady Swanson covers public safety, criminal justice, Larimer County government and more throughout Northern Colorado. You can send your story ideas to her at sswanson@coloradoan.com or on Twitter at @sadyswan. Support her work and that of other Coloradoan journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Man shot by Larimer County deputies after I-25 pursuit is charged