PUEBLO PD: DUI suspect dies at hospital while in custody

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) - A man suspected of driving under the influence died this past weekend at a Pueblo hospital while in police custody, the Pueblo Police Department (PPD) announced.

According to the PPD, they received a report of a wrong-way driver on I-25 just before midnight on Saturday, March 29. The driver nearly hit an officer's vehicle, and a short time later, a report came in of a crash at the intersection of Dillon Drive and Cesar Chavez Blvd., police said.

The PPD said the wrong-way driver was the one involved in the crash, where he ran a red light and hit another car. After the crash, the suspect driver attempted to steal another car by forcibly removing the driver. Witnesses in the area, including an off-duty Douglas County deputy, were able to detain the suspect until the PPD arrived.

According to the PPD, the suspect was acting "erratically" and was detained for suspicions of driving under the influence/driving under the influence of drugs and aggravated robbery. He was checked by ambulance personnel on the scene before being transported to a local hospital by an officer to obtain a blood sample and jail medical clearance.

The PPD said the suspect became unresponsive after arriving at the hospital. Life-saving measures were attempted by hospital personnel, but they were unsuccessful.

According to the PPD, as the man was in custody and in the process of arrest, the 10th Judicial District Critical Incident Response Team has been activated and will be led by the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff's office will conduct the investigation as an uninvolved, neutral agency, according to standard procedure. The Pueblo County Coroner will identify the deceased suspect after appropriate notifications.