Pueblo Sheriff Searching For Car Thief

The Pueblo County Sheriff?s Office needs your help finding a car theft suspect. They said Nicholas Byard, 23, rammed two cruisers with the stolen truck, then got away.

Sheriff Kirk Taylor said Byard is dangerous and needs to caught.

?I just want to encourage the public to give us a hand in finding this guy and helping get him off the streets and putting him where he belongs,? said Taylor.

Taylor said Byard stole a truck from a soldier in Fountain on Thursday. On Friday deputies found Byard at a car wash on Pueblo Boulevard They had him surrounded, but Byard was able to get away by ramming two cruisers. The truck was later found but with no sign of Byard.

?He does have a few contacts with law enforcement, both with the Sheriff’s Office and the city’s Police Department,? said Taylor.

Taylor said Byard has stolen cars before. ?He should be considered dangerous,? said Taylor.

Byard has family and a girlfriend in Pueblo. Investigators have asked them about his whereabouts and have come up empty handed.

Taylor said Byard wasn?t alone when he tried to escape police. There was someone sitting in the passenger’s seat. That person hasn?t been identified.

?We don’t know if he was part of the original steal or not, but we would like to talk to him,? said Taylor. The second person could also face charges, according to deputies.

Byard faces felony menacing and vehicular eluding charges.

If you have any information on Byard, call Crimestoppers at 719-542-STOP.