Town of Georgetown agrees to separation with officers charged in Christian Glass’s death

GEORGETOWN, Colo. — The Town of Georgetown has reached separation agreements with two officers charged in the 2022 death of Christian Glass.

In November 2023, Georgetown Marshal Randy Williams and Georgetown Police Officer Timothy Collins were charged with duty to intervene. Williams also faces a third-degree assault charge.

The duty to intervene charge is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Just before midnight on June 10, 2022, Glass, who was 22 years old at the time, called 911 for help after his car became stuck in an embankment near Silver Plume. He told the dispatcher he had two rock knives, a hammer and a mallet with him, which attorneys said was for his amateur geological work. At the time, he was on his way back from a trip to Moab.

Seven agencies responded to the scene and for about an hour, they tried to persuade Glass to exit the car. Glass offered to throw the knives out of the car, but then-Clear Creek County Deputy Andrew Buen told him not to. After Glass said he was afraid and wanted to stay inside the car, Buen said that Glass would be removed with force. That call was authorized by then-Clear Creek County Deputy Kyle Gould.

Buen then broke the front passenger-side window and shot six beanbag rounds at Glass. Buen and Williams used Tasers on Glass, who screamed. A grand jury indictment released in November 2022 shows Glass swung his rock knife “in various directions in a state of complete panic and self defense.” When Williams tried to open the door and Glass swung the knife in his direction, Buen shot Glass five times. He died at the scene shortly after midnight on June 11, 2022.

Glass’ parents said their son was having a mental health crisis that day, adding the 72-page internal affairs report on the incident, which was released in January 2023, vindicated their belief that the deputy who killed their son acted improperly and violated protocol.

Since Williams and Collins are voluntarily resigning, they are entitled to “all pay and benefits,” including accrued PTO and sick leave, according to the separation agreements. In addition, Williams is entitled to three months of compensation while Collins is entitled to two weeks’ compensation “as consideration for this Agreement and Employee’s release of claims,” the documents state. Williams will receive $32,416.80 while Collins will receive $2,570.40.