Pueblo County sheriff criticizes plea deal after man who prompted multi-county chase gets probation
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – A man accused of stealing a truck, leading police on a multi-county chase across southern Colorado, and firing shots at law enforcement before finally being apprehended has reached a plea deal – one that Pueblo County Sheriff David Lucero is calling deeply disappointing.
According to a statement released by Lucero, Michael J. Trujillo pleaded guilty to a single felony charge of vehicular eluding and was sentenced to 18 months of probation for the incident on Thursday.
The charge stems back to Nov. 4, 2025, when Colorado State Patrol (CSP) says a pickup truck was reported stolen from a parking lot in Monument. Investigators say Trujillo drove the stolen truck south on I-25, where a CSP aircraft tracked the vehicle as it traveled into Pueblo County.
READ MORE: Suspect leads law enforcement on chase from Monument to Pueblo Co.; Shoots out of vehicle
Troopers attempted to stop the car using a grapple device, but when it was deployed, Trujillo began firing shots out the window at State Patrol.
Trujillo continued driving before going off the road into a field, where he fired additional gunshots at law enforcement. An officer with the Monument Police Department returned fire, firing at least one round and striking him.
Trujillo was flown by helicopter to a hospital and survived. Authorities said no deputies, troopers, or officers were injured.
In a statement on Thursday, Pueblo County Sheriff Davis Lucero said the situation put both the public and multiple law enforcement agencies at risk.
"His actions not only endangered the public, and innocent motorists in his path, but also Pueblo County Sheriff’s deputies, Colorado State Troopers, Pueblo Police and Monument police officers who responded to assist with stopping this suspect," Lucero said.
Despite the shots were fired during the pursuit, Trujillo ultimately pleaded guilty only to vehicular eluding. As part of a plea deal, he was sentenced to 18 months probation.
Lucero argues the sentencing raises serious concerns about how crimes are being handled locally.
“The plea and sentencing in this case raise real concerns about how serious crimes of this magnitude are being addressed in Pueblo,” Lucero wrote in part. “It is disheartening to our deputies, state troopers and officers, the victims and the community to see that crimes that pose a significant danger are pled down to lesser crimes and criminals are being given sentences of probation."
KRDO13 asked District Attorney Kayla Beauvais about the plea deal and sentence her office negotiated with Trujillo. "This plea and sentence falls far short of the DA's Office commitment to our community's safety and accountability and will be addressed accordingly," Beauvais said in a statement. The district attorney said that the plea to Vehicular Eluding (F5) could've led to a sentence of up to three years in prison.
However, further comment was prevented because the Critical Incident Response Team (CRIT) and DA's Office are still investigating the officer's use of force, shooting the suspect, in the case.
Read Sheriff Lucero's full statement below:
"I’m extremely disappointed in the plea deal and sentencing that took place today as Michael J. Trujillo received a sentence of 18 months of probation for his role in a November 2025 incident that began after he stole a vehicle in Monument, eluded law enforcement in Pueblo County and fired shots at law enforcement.
His actions not only endangered the public, and innocent motorists in his path, but also Pueblo County Sheriff’s deputies, Colorado State Troopers, Pueblo Police and Monument police officers who responded to assist with stopping this suspect.
Trujillo pled guilty to a single felony charge of vehicular eluding in the incident.
On November 4, 2025, Trujillo stole a truck from a parking lot in Monument and drove south on Interstate 25 into El Paso County. A Colorado State Patrol aircraft unit saw the truck and followed it into Pueblo County where State Troopers in a vehicle followed the suspect as he exited the interstate at Exit 108.
Law enforcement continued following the truck as it drove into Pueblo West, when Trujillo fired a firearm out the window. The law enforcement agencies worked together, while putting their lives at risk, to get this individual to surrender when he fired more gunshots. The Monument officer returned fire, hitting the suspect.
The 10th Judicial Critical Incident Team, led by the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Colorado Bureau of Investigations, investigated the incident due to the officer-involved shooting.
The plea and sentencing in this case raise real concerns about how serious crimes of this magnitude are being addressed in Pueblo. We take seriously these types of cases, and we work hard to make a good case, following the evidence and it is disheartening to our deputies, state troopers and officers, the victims and the community to see that crimes that pose a significant danger are pled down to lesser crimes and criminals are being given sentences of probation.
Our community members and our law enforcement officers who protect them deserve a justice system that reflects the seriousness of these crimes."
Read District Attorney Beauvais' full statement below:
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