Canon City PD: 4-year-old safe after kidnapping and high-speed pursuit

CANON CITY, Colo. (KRDO) - The Canon City Police Department (CCPD) reported Thursday that its officers were involved in a dangerous police pursuit, the day prior.

The CCPD said the incident stemmed from a disturbance that resulted in a woman kidnapping her non-custodial four-year-old during a court-ordered, supervised visit. That woman has been identified as 33-year-old Ashley Proctor. She is facing numerous charges.

According to the CCPD, officers were dispatched to the 900 block of N. Orchard Ave. on the afternoon of Wednesday, Aug. 21. They were responding to a reported kidnapping in progress. When the officers arrived, they spoke to a Department of Human Services caseworker who said that Ashley Proctor arrived for the supervised visitation with her child and then grabbed the child, assaulted the caseworker, and fled the scene. The child was removed from Proctor's custody just weeks prior to the incident, police said.

The CCPD said officers attempted to stop Proctor as she fled the scene but she refused and drove recklessly through residential streets and onto Highway 50. She then attempted to drive onto Skyline Drive but her vehicle was pinned against the hillside by officers.

According to the CCPD, Proctor, the child, and the caseworker were all treated for minor injuries. A nine-month-old puppy that was in Proctor's car was also treated for minor injuries at an animal hospital.

In the report released Thursday, the CCPD said the decision by officers to use their vehicles to prevent the suspect from driving onto Skyline Drive was calculated and executed to reduce the risk of serious injury or death to the vehicle occupants, which would have likely been the result if the pursuit had continued up the dangerous road.

According to the CCPD, Ashley Proctor was arrested on the following charges:

• Criminal Attempt to Commit Murder in the Second Degree F3
• Criminal Attempt to Commit Assault in the First Degree F4
• Second Degree Kidnapping F3
• Assault in the Second Degree F4
• Child Abuse (Causing Bodily Injury) F3
• Reckless Endangerment M2
• Vehicular Eluding F4
• Cruelty to Animals M1
• Eluding Police Officer MT2
• Speeding excess of 40 MPH over MT2
• Reckless Driving MT2
• Careless driving causing bodily injury MT1
• Changed lanes in an unsafe manner TIA
• Driver allowed passenger to ride unsafe TIA
• Passed on left in an unsafe manner TIB
• Failed to properly use child restraint system for child 4-8 years old TIB
• Operated without a seatbelt TIB