Arrested Over Politics?
Local restaurant owner Steve Kerrison said he was outside his business, The Smokin’ Q, when a driver hit his fence. Kerrison said that when he asked the driver if he was alright, that man attacked him.
Kerrison, a former peace officer, said that the man appeared to be drunk and to be reaching for a weapon, so Kerrison pulled his out first.
Kerrison said he called 911 and non-emergency number multiple times, but that no deputies ever showed.
“Time passed. 20, 25, 30 minutes, and no one responded. It almost ended in a very bad situation,” said Kerrison.
Kerrison said deputies showed up after the man left, but it was to arrest the business owner on menacing and false imprisonment charges. Kerrison said he is convinced the arrest is politically motivated because he did not allow Sheriff Mike Ensminger to post political signs in a past election.
“He said he would more than likely be the next sheriff, and that he would remember this,” said Kerrison.
Now the Divide business owner is calling for Ensminger’s recall, and said that he looks forward to his day in court.
“These are false charges. I believe they are guilty of false imprisonment, some Miranda issues, and stompped on my second amendment rights,” said Kerrison who has lost his concealed carry license due to the incident.
Sheriff Ensminger said he could not comment on the particulars of an ongoing investigation, but called the idea that the case is political retribution “ludicrous.”
“It has nothing to do with that. We in Teller County have given plenty of business (to the Smokin’ Q). We have always considered him friendly to the office. We hold no animosity toward him or his business. We have done close to one thousand dollars worth of business since I have been sheriff that I have authorized,” said Ensminger.
However, the Sheriff did not say why no deputies responded to the calls.
Kerrison’s case is still under advisement. That means that the District Attorney’s office has not yet decided if it will move forward with the case.
