‘Prolific previous offender’ arrested after alleged home invasion and assault

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- The El Paso County Sheriff's Office (EPSO) says that a 37-year-old man has been arrested, accused of home invasion and assault in Fountain.

According to the sheriff's office, Fountain police officers were called out to the 900 block of Grinde Drive on Tuesday morning. A victim had reported that the suspect, Geoffrey Chinnow, allegedly forced his way into their apartment, held them at gunpoint, and fired two rounds into the floor.

The Fountain Police Department told KRDO13 that they believe that Chinnow was searching for his girlfriend, and believed the apartment belonged to friends of his girlfriend.

Chinnow reportedly left the victim's apartment, and police began to surveil his home to try and catch him. When police saw him at his house, EPSO says their SWAT team was called in to help execute warrants.

EPSO says Chinnow was taken into custody without incident.

“Coordinated operations and shared resources strengthen public safety and ensure violent offenders are brought to justice. Our community will not be terrorized by violent offenders who illegally bring guns into our neighborhoods,” said El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal in a release.

The sheriff's office says he faces the following charges:

• Second-degree assault
• Illegal discharge of a firearm
• Menacing
• Possession of a weapon by a previous offender
• Criminal mischief
• First-degree burglary

EPSO says he is being held on a $25,000 bond.

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