The Colorado State Patrol has released video footage of a remarkable incident that occurred in Otero County, involving a handcuffed suspect who managed to steal a CSP patrol vehicle before ultimately perishing in a fiery crash in Bent County.
The events unfolded on June 20 when troopers responded to support deputies pursuing a fleeing suspect along U.S. 50 in southeastern Colorado, as reported by the CSP. The suspect driver, identified as 31-year-old Anthony Alphonso Sanchez III, allegedly instigated multiple collisions, according to an earlier news release from the CSP. While a trooper successfully bumped the suspect's vehicle to bring it to a halt, the suspect seized the opportunity during the arrest and absconded with a marked CSP vehicle.
Video recordings from a patrol vehicle dashcam and the troopers' body-worn cameras reveal the arrest of Sanchez and the recovery of a loaded firearm from his car. Despite being handcuffed, with his hands secured behind his back and placed inside the backseat of the patrol vehicle, Sanchez managed to maneuver his arms, deftly sliding his wrists from behind his legs, down to his feet, and eventually to the front of his body. Exploiting this newfound freedom, he promptly made his way into the front seat of the vehicle and sped away.
Law enforcement authorities initiated a pursuit of Sanchez, implementing stop sticks—tire-deflating devices—on the highway, as confirmed by the CSP. After encountering the stop sticks, the stolen patrol vehicle collided with a stationary commercial vehicle in Bent County, resulting in a conflagration. Sanchez was extracted from the engulfed patrol vehicle and rushed to a hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. No additional injuries were reported.
The investigation into the incident remains ongoing under the jurisdiction of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.