Fund set up for two victims of Highway 82 crash
Alpine Bank has opened an account for Basalt residents Lori and Mitch Knotts, who were seriously injured in a car accident on Highway 82 in Valley on Sept. 13.
They were reportedly flown to Denver for medical treatment after the two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Highway 82 and Cattle Creek Road early Friday morning.
CSP Public Information Officer Sherry Mendez said the Colorado State Patrol responded to the incident at 9:11 a.m. The highway was completely closed before one lane in each direction was reopened by early afternoon. Cleanup of 25 gallons of spilled diesel, believed to have come from one of the vehicles’ fuel tanks, slowed the process.
Images posted on social media showed a dead Dodge Ram in the median with a two-axle trailer in tow and a commercial dump truck that was parallel to the road in the eastbound lane. Lori and Mitch Knotts were inside the Dodge Ram.
Donations can be made at any Alpine bank or checks can be mailed to: Alpine Bank Aspen, 600 E. Hopkins, Aspen, CO 81611, Attention Erin Earley. Please make checks payable to “Laurie or Mitch Knotts.”
The Giving Network contributes $90,000 to the hunger harvest
The Giving Network awarded $575,250 to 15 local nonprofits filling gaps and needs in the Roaring Fork community. The nonprofit Harvest of Hunger received $90,000 to purchase a new refrigerated van to further its mission of reducing food insecurity in the Roaring Fork Valley and beyond, according to a Harvest of Hunger press release.
As part of the Aspen Community Foundation’s overall mission, the Giving Network brings together local philanthropists to explore pressing community issues in the Aspen to Parachute area. Since its inception in 2016, The Giving Network has invested more than $3.1 million in the community, according to the release.
“This new van replaces our current aging van and doubles our current food rescue capacity, reducing our carbon footprint, increasing flexibility, increasing scale and ensuring food freshness,” the statement said.
In January 2021, Hunger Harvest launched “Operation Food Rescue” in the Roaring Fork Valley and has since distributed 338,000 pounds of food that would have otherwise ended up in the landfill.
In December, Harvest Hunger opened its first food pantry in Snowmass Village. Within eight months, it served 3,879 individuals and families with an average of 640 visitors per month and distributed more than 24,000 pounds of food.
Snowmass Food Pantry is open five days a week, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Snowmass Village Hall. To eliminate stigma, food pantries do not collect personal information from those they serve.
“Thanks to this generous award from The Giving Network, we are one step closer to ending food insecurity in our community,” the statement added.
Garfield officers find OxyContin during a traffic stop
Garfield County Sheriff’s Office deputies, along with investigators from the Garfield County SPEAR (Special Enforcement and Response) Task Force, discovered a large stash of drugs during a traffic stop on Interstate 70 near Parachute.
Deputies and investigators discovered approximately 59.64 pounds of counterfeit OxyContin pills believed to contain the drug fentanyl, the sheriff’s office said. There were approximately 222,360 pills in the vehicle, with an estimated street value of approximately $2.7 million.
The driver was Leslie Lopez-Rojas, 20, of Phoenix. He was arrested on charges including importation of a schedule II controlled substance into the state, a Class 1 felony drug offense. Two other accomplices were arrested.
The investigation is ongoing, the publication added. The sheriff’s office and SPEAR were assisted by the DEA, the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office and the Garfield County Office of Emergency Communications.
A man was arrested in Eagle County on charges of sexual assault
An Eagle County man was arrested without incident on a felony charge stemming from a firearm-related child sexual assault case, the Sheriff’s Department said.
Carlos Javier Morales-Delgado, 46, was booked into the Garfield County Jail on the following charges: sexual assault, a Class 4 felony, according to a news release; and unlawful sexual intercourse, a Class 1 felony.
Police thanked the Eagle County Sheriff’s Department and the GRANITE Task Force (Gore Range Narcotics Task Force) for their “outstanding assistance in completing this case. Their commitment to public safety and willingness to support the surrounding communities is invaluable.”
The post adds that no further information will be released regarding this incident.
The road to the power plant will be closed on Monday
The City of Aspen will begin paving work Monday on Smuggler’s Bridge along Power Plant Road.
Due to the maintenance project, the road will be closed to traffic from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Residents living on Power Plant Road will be allowed to pass through during the closure.
“All other drivers are encouraged to plan alternate routes. This critical infrastructure upgrade will help maintain the safety and longevity of the bridge,” the city said in a news release.
