A Colorado man who pleaded responsible to capturing a Rocky Mountain Nationwide Park ranger throughout a gunfight final 12 months was sentenced to greater than 23 years in federal jail Friday, federal prosecutors stated.
Daron Marquel Ellis, 29, of Aurora, accepted a plea settlement after opening fireplace at park legislation enforcement ranger Mitchell Hauptman on Dec. 8, 2021, close to the park’s Fall River entrance.
He was sentenced to 23½ years in federal jail on a second diploma tried homicide cost of a federal officer, in keeping with the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace for the District of Colorado.
The capturing occurred after Ellie fled from a Colorado State Patrol trooper on Dec. 8 on U.S. Freeway 34 within the Large Thompson Canyon, authorities stated. Hauptman was alerted the automobile could be heading towards the park.
Hauptman noticed a automobile matching the suspect’s description close to the park’s entrance and turned on his lights, however Ellis drove across the ranger’s automobile on the shoulder of the highway, authorities on the time stated. The automobile stopped after hitting a number of boulders simply contained in the park’s boundaries.
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Hauptman obtained out of his automobile, pulled his pistol, ordered Ellis and a feminine passenger out of the automobile and to indicate their fingers, authorities stated. Officers say Ellis didn’t get out of the automobile and as an alternative started firing at Hauptman utilizing a 9mm semiautomatic handgun.
A bullet struck Hauptman, who was taking cowl behind his automobile. He was hit within the upper-left facet of his chest however was carrying a protecting vest. The bullet left a giant bruise however did not trigger any life-threatening accidents.
The ranger returned fireplace, hitting Ellis earlier than he ultimately surrendered.
Neither was critically injured within the capturing, however each have been hospitalized.
“To shoot at and attempt to kill a peace officer is a very egregious crime that will likely be punished with important time in federal jail,” U.S. Legal professional Cole Finegan stated in a information launch.
Park spokesperson Kyle Patterson beforehand stated she believed the incident marked the primary time a capturing like this occurred within the park because it was established in 1915.
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