More details revealed about background of Tuesday’s standoff suspect in Security-Widefield
EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. -- Court records show that Larry Garduno, who was arrested Tuesday evening after a three-hour standoff at a home on Ithaca Street, was on parole for an escape conviction and had been on the run for six months after violating parole.
According to the Colorado Department of Corrections, Garduno, 52, was at the Fremont County Correctional Facility after pleading guilty in 2018 to attempted escape.
Court records show that Garduno received a five-year sentence, minus time served on other charges, but was placed on parole and transferred to Community Corrections -- with the nearest facilities in Colorado Springs and Pueblo -- in September 2020.
The DOC said that he "absconded," or failed to appear at ComCor, on June 2.
A release Tuesday from the El Paso County Sheriff's Office indicates that authorities were seeking Garduno for fleeing parole due to numerous prior felony and misdemeanor charges.
Garduno likely was on parole because of time previously served that reduced his original sentence.
He was scheduled for a parole hearing later this month.
Garduno has a fairly lengthy criminal history to include previous escape and attempted ecape charges, along with assault, theft and illegal drug possession. However, many of those charges were later dismissed.
Because of his background, authorities considered him armed and dangerous but found no weapons at the standoff scene.
Sgt. Jason Garrett, of the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, defended the resources called in to the incident -- including the use of the SWAT team and delaying the end of the day for students at nearby Talbott Elementary School.
"Two times, we've made attempts to arrest (Garduno)," he said. "One of those times, he actively evaded and resisted. So this is a guy who has demonstrated a willingness to flee and put the general public around him at risk. If he detected us and if he bolted, we had a responsibility to the public. So the decision was made because of the totality of all those circumstances, to put the brakes on school getting out, keep the kids in there and deal with this while we have the house locked down, so that we can control what we can control."
Garrett said that Garduno won't be charged in the standoff, although he could have been charged with obstruction of justice or resisting arrest.
On Wednesday, a steady procession of vehicles passed the house as drivers and passengers saw holes in the front windows made by gas canisters which ultimately forced Garduno's surrender.
Also at the home Wednesday was an unidentified man who appeared to be repairing damage there, and woman who said that she is Garduno's sister.
"The house belonged to my mother and she died recently," said the woman, who declined to reveal her name. "I don't know why he was here, or if he broke in, or what. Everything is sketchy right now."
