A Life Well Lived #GVCopBeat
We lost a dear friend last week.
Bill Price volunteered for our agency for 25 years—that’s as long as some of our employees have been alive. Even at 88 years old, Bill was here, working in our property and evidence division, as recently as just a few weeks ago. Over the years, Bill has handled what would likely literally equate to tons of paperwork for our lab. He assisted with drug destroys. He played an integral role in the relocation of our property division a couple of times over the last couple of decades. He’s been invaluable to our agency.
For Bill, a spirit of service came naturally. He was a United States Navy veteran. He spent most of his professional life as a court reporter. In addition to the countless hours he spent volunteering here, he also rode the trails along the Riverfront as a volunteer trail host for Parks and Recreation, ensuring our community had a safe and clean space to enjoy the outdoors, which he loved so much.
We could go on and on about the robust life Bill lived and the time he shared with
us. But we won’t, because he did all things without the desire for fanfare. Nonetheless, we’ll miss him. He contributed much to our agency and to Grand Junction as a whole. Bill’s life touched many in this community who may never even have met him, through his passion for giving of his time and talents. He’ll be missed by his loving family, and we’re honored to consider ourselves an extension of that family.
Rest peacefully, Bill.
Road Rage Incident Results in Attempted Robbery Arrest #GVCopBeat
At 10:30 this morning, officers with the Grand Junction Police Department were dispatched to a report of a hit and run accident in the 700 Block of Horizon Drive. Upon arrival, officers contacted one of the parties of the crash, as well as several witnesses to the incident.
The victim reported that she was driving southbound on Horizon Drive when a truck pulled out of a parking lot and struck her vehicle. The victim stated that the driver of the truck pulled up next to her and began to yell and spit at her. The victim attempted to take a picture of the truck, at which time the driver of the truck pulled in front of her and stopped in the roadway. The driver exited the vehicle and approached the victim. The victim told officers that the driver of the truck struck her and attempted to take her phone. A struggle ensued and when bystanders approached to intervene, the driver of the truck got back in his vehicle and fled the area.
Utilizing the picture the victim had captured with her phone, the officers were able to search the license plate of the truck to locate a photo of the registered owner, who the victim positively identified as the suspect. Information regarding the suspect and suspect vehicle was shared with law enforcement throughout Mesa County.
This afternoon, one very observant Grand Junction Police officer located the suspect vehicle parked at Mesa Mall. Officers contacted the suspect inside the mall and ultimately arrested 25-year old Leroy Navarrette, of Grand Junction, for two counts of Criminal Attempt, Robbery, Tampering with Physical Evidence, Hit and Run, and Lane Use Violation. Navarrette was remanded to the Mesa County Detention Facility.
Arrest Made in Burglary from Local Business #GVCopBeat
On February 23rd, 2019, officers and detectives with the Grand Junction Police Department responded to a burglary at Atlasta Solar in Grand Junction. Employees of the business reported that several thousands of dollars worth of property had been stolen from the building in the early morning hours, as well as a company truck containing thousands of dollars worth of tools. Because the truck was equipped with a GPS system, the employees of the business were able to provide tracking locations of the truck’s route after the burglary, which culminated in a crash north of Delta, Colorado. Officers with the GJPD responded to the scene of the crash and noted it was totaled, and several items missing from the burglary were recovered inside. The suspect had fled the scene prior to law enforcement arrival.
Utilizing the GPS tracking information provided by the victim business, detectives were able to contact businesses where the truck stopped after the burglary. They were able to obtain security footage from the businesses, showing images of the stolen truck and the driver. After showing pictures of the suspect to employees of the victim business, officers were able to develop a potential lead after a social media profile was found with photos matching the appearance of the suspect captured on the security footage. Officers were able to determine that the subject in the social media profile had an active warrant for domestic violence out of the GJPD. The location of the domestic violence incident matched the address of a stop made by the stolen truck after the burglary.
Officers located an address in Delta potentially associated to the suspect, identified as Jac Bingham, age 36. On March 14, the Grand Junction Police Department requested a law enforcement assist from the Delta County Sheriff’s Office to attempt contact with the suspect and arrest him for his outstanding warrants. Deputies were able to locate Bingham and arrest him. Bingham was subsequently extradited to the Mesa County Detention Facility, where he was booked for two unrelated outstanding warrants. This morning, a detective with the GJPD charged Bingham with additional offenses related to this crime: 2nd Degree Burglary (F5), Theft (F5), 1st Degree Aggravated Motor Vehicle Theft (F5), Driving while Under Restraint, and Failure to Remain at the Scene After an Accident Involving Injury.
Investigation into Overnight Stabbing Underway #GJCopBeat
Shortly before midnight on Wednesday night, officers with the Grand Junction Police Department were dispatched to the area of Broadway and West Avenue after a passerby called to report a person in the roadway. Upon arrival to the area, officers located an adult male victim with what appeared to be stab wounds to his neck and head area. The victim was able to provide officers with some preliminary information before being transported to the hospital. Officers were subsequently able to locate an additional adult male victim under the Grand Avenue bridge with what appeared to be stab wounds to his chest. That male was also transported to the hospital.
Two subjects have been detained and the investigation is ongoing. There is not believed to be any ongoing danger to the public related to this incident. The extent of wounds and medical condition of the victims is unknown at this time.
If anyone has any information pertaining to this case that could be helpful in our investigation, you are asked to call Crime Stoppers of Mesa County, reference GJPD case number 19-14317.
Suspect Arrested for Burglary #GVCopBeat
On Monday, March 11, officers with the Grand Junction Police Department were dispatched to a report of burglary. The reporting party and victim stated that her phone, her watch, and several debit cards had been stolen from her apartment sometime during the night.
Officers responded to the victim’s home and she reported to them that she had possession of all of the stolen items in the early morning hours of Monday when she used a ride service to take her home from the downtown area. When she woke up in the morning, she found that the items were gone and the front door to her residence was unlocked. She was able to access her bank accounts online and discover that someone had successfully withdrawn money from her account using an ATM.
Officers were able to contact the driver who had given the victim a ride home the night before. Officers were also able to access security footage from the ATM used to fraudulently withdraw funds from the victim’s account. The suspect on the surveillance footage matched the appearance of the male driver. Additionally, the vehicle registered to the driver was the same vehicle captured in the security footage of the ATM withdrawal.
Chukwuma Okeke, 31, of Grand Junction was arrested and remanded to the Mesa County Detention Facility for charges of 2nd Degree Burglary (F4), Unauthorized Use of a Financial Transaction Device (M3), Theft (M1), and Criminal Possession of Two of More Financial Devices (F6).
Owner of Local Youth Sports Organization Arrested for Fraud #GVCopBeat
A man affiliated with a local junior football association has been arrested for knowingly writing fraudulent checks totaling in excess of $30,000. William “Billy” Lampshire, 31, of Grand Junction, is charged with three counts of Fraud by Check, a class 6 felony.
In November of 2018, Lampshire contacted the Grand Junction Police Department to report the possible theft of approximately $150,000 in youth football sporting equipment, belonging to the Mesa County Youth Sports Corporation, of which Lampshire is the majority owner. Ultimately, the investigation revealed that the equipment had been collected by board members and a co-owner of the corporation, and the investigation was closed, as it was determined that no crime occurred.
Through the course of that initial investigation, detectives with the Grand Junction Police Department became aware of several allegations of bad checks being written by Lampshire from the football league’s account. In October of 2018, Mesa County Youth Sports leased space for a haunted house. Several workers were paid for their services related to the haunted house with checks written from the football league’s account. The checks bounced and the account from which the checks were written was closed without the checks being honored.
Additionally, a space was rented in a local business for the youth football league; the same location from which Lampshire originally alleged the theft of the sports equipment. Lampshire provided checks from the junior football league account and from a William Lampshire Corporation account for rent and utilities on the rental space. The accounts did not have sufficient funds to cover the checks, and they were returned.
Ultimately, a warrant was requested for the arrest of Lampshire for knowingly issuing checks on an account with insufficient funds, with the intent to defraud. Lampshire was arrested today without incident in the 2400 Block of Brookwillow Loop and was remanded to the Mesa County Detention Facility on the no-bond warrant.
