On the morning of October 8, the Salida Police Department (SPD) with assistance from the Chaffee County Tactical team apprehended the main suspect in the majority of vehicle break-ins and motor vehicle thefts that have been occurring throughout Salida and Chaffee County. SPD officers spotted one of the reported stolen vehicles. It was believed that the main suspect, Mack Hill, was in the stolen vehicle.
Hill had numerous felony warrants and had already been involved in a vehicle pursuit with Salida officers two weeks prior, so officers converged on the suspect while he was near the trailhead by Burmac Enterprises Grocery.
As officers converged on Hill, he drove away in the stolen vehicle. The vehicle was traveling approximately 30-40 miles per hour as it approached a patrol car parked near the bottom of the trailhead. The vehicle then hit the front driver’s side of the patrol car that was occupied by two Salida Police officers. The force caused substantial damage to the patrol car, but the officers involved were not seriously injured.
Hill then sped off, almost hitting one of the officers. A pursuit ensued traveling eastbound on U.S. 50. Hill threw a gun out of the window of the car he was driving, where it flew across U.S. 50 around mile marker 230. A few miles down the road, due to mechanical issues, Hill’s vehicle came to a stop. Because he complained of injuries, Hill was transported to the Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center for medical clearance. He was cleared, then transported to the Chaffee County Jail.
Hill was arrested on five outstanding warrants. Two are no bond warrants and the other three totaled $10,500 in bond. Hill was charged with the following:
- CRS 18-3-206 Felony Menacing
- CRS 18-3-201 1st Degree Assault on a Peace Officer
- CRS 18-9-116.5 Felony Eluding
- CRS 18-12-108 Possession of a Weapon by a Previous Offender
- CRS 18-3-208 Reckless Endangerment
- CRS 18-4-409 1st Degree Aggravated Motor Vehicle Theft
- CRS 18-4-501 Criminal Mischief
- CRS 42-3-121 Displayed Fictitious Plates
The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office, Buena Vista Police Department, and Salida Police Department are still actively working this investigation.
Over the last several weeks, the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office, Buena Vista Police Department, and Salida Police Department have been working jointly, investigating multiple vehicle break-ins and motor vehicle thefts in Chaffee County. During this time, they worked on multiple leads and interviewed individuals. They recovered multiple vehicles, along with several stolen guns. There will be additional arrests and charges to follow.
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