CHAFFEE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Salida, Colorado

PRESS RELEASE

March 11, 2015

For Immediate Release

On January 25, 2015 and again on January 31, 2015 numerous vehicles were broken into and items were stolen from those same vehicles which were parked in the Old Monarch Pass area on U.S. Hwy 50 in Chaffee County, Colorado.

The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office conducted an investigation and through this investigation two suspects were identified as James Brent Damon, dob 12/24/1968 and Georgie Louise Hand, dob 01/13/1972. The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office learned that the two suspects were wanted on nationwide extradition warrants out of Mississippi. On February 11, 2015 additional arrest warrants were issued by the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office for numerous felony charges. Officer safety bulletins were also sent out by the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office to all law enforcement agencies statewide and to surrounding states as well based on the suspect’s criminal histories and information received through the investigation.

On March 9, 2015 a Moffat County Sheriff’s deputy and a Colorado Parks and Wildlife officer responded to a suspicious vehicle call on U.S. Hwy 40 near Dinosaur, Colorado. The officers encountered a male and female who briefly took the officers hostage. During the incident a struggle ensued and a male suspect was shot and killed. The female suspect was taken into custody.

The male who was shot and killed has been identified as James Brent Damon, dob 12/24/1968. The female suspect was identified as Georgie Louise Hand, dob 01/13/1972.