Morgan County Sheriff’s Office
Chris Luedtke
The man who deputies believe stole a semi-truck Sunday, ramming it into several vehicles as police followed with their guns drawn, faces multiple attempted first-degree murder charges.
Christopher Luedtke, 29, has been a Morgan County resident for a number of years, according to Jim Crone, the Morgan County sheriff. Luedtke faces additional charges of attempted murder of a peace officer, first-degree assault and several other felony and misdemeanor charges.
On Saturday night, authorities say Luedtke stole a tractor-trailer rig from the Sterling area. Deputies say he was chased by three agencies, some of whom fired at the moving vehicle. The semi crashed into several vehicles, including an unoccupied patrol vehicle, according to a statement from the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office.
Four out of five people whose vehicles were struck were sent to local hospitals, according to the sheriff’s office. One stayed overnight for observation.
Deputies say the truck was heading down streets of Brush, a town east of Fort Morgan, when Luedtke jumped out. The truck continued moving, crashing into two parked vehicles in a front yard. The driver ran into a house, where the homeowner subdued him.
Police on Sunday said drugs and alcohol were were likely a factor in the incident.
Authorities ask anyone with videos or photos of the pursuit to contact the sheriff’s office at 970-867-2461 or by messaging the department’s Facebook page.
Source : Denver Post
