Tyler Young, 33, of Lakewood, has admitted he was behind the wheel in a chaotic Evergreen chase that ended on a runaway truck ramp and sparked a brief radioactive scare on I-70. He pleaded guilty Monday in Jefferson County District Court and now faces a likely decade or more in state prison for the incident that unfolded last Sept. 11.
The case began when deputies tracked a stolen Ford F-150 to the Walmart on Swede Gulch Road. What started as a stolen-truck call quickly escalated, authorities say, into a high-speed attempt to get away that ran from a crowded parking lot to the eastbound interstate.
In court, Young pleaded guilty to one count each of motor vehicle theft, vehicular eluding, and second-degree assault. Prosecutors agreed to drop three other charges under a plea deal. The agreement calls for a prison term between 10 and 13 years, with formal sentencing set for April 27. The plea was entered on Monday, according to the Denver Gazette.
Chase To The Runaway Ramp And An I-70 Shutdown
Deputies moved in after spotting the stolen pickup in the Walmart lot. Witnesses told investigators the driver rammed law enforcement vehicles, then tore out of the parking area at high speed as officers followed…