DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. — A man from Pueblo was arrested and faces multiple charges after he allegedly kidnapped a woman and child, crashed into a Colorado Springs police vehicle, and fled from authorities on Interstate 25 Tuesday evening.
On Tuesday around 10:23 p.m., deputies with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office learned from the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) that a man named Eric Morales, 27, who was wanted on several felony warrants, was driving a white SUV into Douglas County. CSPD also told the sheriff’s office that Morales had hit one of their patrol vehicles and he had a woman and child inside the car who may not be with him willingly, according to the sheriff’s office.
After this call, the sheriff’s office spotted the car northbound on I-25 at Happy Canyon. When deputies attempted to stop the car, the driver, who was later confirmed as Morales, refused to pull over, even after he ran over stop sticks near Lincoln Avenue, the sheriff’s office said.
Authorities closed I-25 in this area as a precaution.
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By the time Morales reached County Line Road, his car had come to a stop and the woman and child were able to leave the car, but Morales stayed inside and refused to comply with deputies’ orders. He also indicated that he was armed, the sheriff’s office said.
A SWAT team and negotiators arrived at the scene and started to talk with him. He was eventually taken into custody and transported to the Douglas County Detention Facility.
Morales faces charges of second-degree kidnapping, vehicular eluding, criminal mischief, violation of a protection order, reckless driving, child abuse, resisting arrest and reckless endangerment.
Deputies determined that Morales and the woman knew each other.
Morales was also booked on out-of-county warrants. He has a no-bond hold.
I-25 remained closed for three hours overnight.
This remains an open investigation and no other details were available as of Wednesday early afternoon.
