1
00:00:09,110 --> 00:00:11,944
[narrator] <i> In Wisconsin,</i>
<i> an undercover sting</i>

2
00:00:11,946 --> 00:00:15,314
<i> results in an officer</i>
<i> posing as a hit man.</i>

3
00:00:15,316 --> 00:00:17,116
Someone's life is in jeopardy.

4
00:00:18,652 --> 00:00:21,420
So we set up a time
to meet the very next day.

5
00:00:25,726 --> 00:00:29,361
She seemed as if
we were meeting
to conduct a transaction

6
00:00:29,463 --> 00:00:32,931
for a used item
that she had listed
in the classifieds.

7
00:00:32,933 --> 00:00:33,899
[Nicholas Pendergast speaking]

8
00:00:33,901 --> 00:00:35,200
[Megan Wanty speaking]

9
00:00:37,805 --> 00:00:39,938
[Captain Josh Chiamulera]
<i> It's difficult to listen to</i>

10
00:00:39,940 --> 00:00:41,707
I cannot believe that,

11
00:00:41,709 --> 00:00:44,109
that someone
is thinking like this.

12
00:00:44,111 --> 00:00:45,811
[narrator] <i> Then in Colorado.</i>

13
00:00:45,813 --> 00:00:47,512
[caller speaking]

14
00:00:52,053 --> 00:00:54,653
[Sergeant Christopher
Griggs-Ortiz] <i> This is</i>
<i> an 80,000 pound missile</i>

15
00:00:54,722 --> 00:00:56,255
<i> barreling down the road.</i>

16
00:00:56,323 --> 00:00:58,657
This situation is deadly.

17
00:00:58,726 --> 00:01:02,561
[narrator] <i> The stakes</i>
<i> are raised when the semi</i>
<i> exits the highway.</i>

18
00:01:02,630 --> 00:01:05,531
If this truck decides
to plow into a house

19
00:01:05,533 --> 00:01:09,501
<i> the potential</i>
<i> for mass casualties is huge</i>

20
00:01:09,503 --> 00:01:10,903
[Griggs speaking]

21
00:01:12,239 --> 00:01:14,640
<i> It's taking out power poles</i>
<i> it's hitting cars.</i>

22
00:01:14,741 --> 00:01:15,407
[siren wailing]

23
00:01:15,409 --> 00:01:16,942
[bleep]

24
00:01:16,944 --> 00:01:19,411
[narrator] <i> Entering</i>
<i> this neighborhood</i>
<i> makes it personal.</i>

25
00:01:19,413 --> 00:01:23,048
People that I love
and care about
were in the way of this truck.

26
00:01:26,020 --> 00:01:27,419
[dispatcher 1] <i> There's cars </i>
<i> the west lane.</i>

27
00:01:27,421 --> 00:01:30,022
[woman] <i> Shots fired.</i>
<i> I only brought basic marks.</i>

28
00:01:30,024 --> 00:01:31,623
[officer] <i> Yeah, drop it,</i>
<i> come outside.</i>

29
00:01:38,632 --> 00:01:40,432
[narrator] <i> Just south</i>
<i> of Lake Superior...</i>

30
00:01:41,502 --> 00:01:43,602
<i> ...in northern Wisconsin</i>

31
00:01:43,604 --> 00:01:45,604
<i> is the small city</i>
<i> of Rhinelander.</i>

32
00:01:48,709 --> 00:01:51,643
<i> Captain Josh Chiamulera</i>
<i> is about to do something</i>

33
00:01:51,712 --> 00:01:54,513
<i> that every</i>
<i> police officer dreads.</i>

34
00:01:54,515 --> 00:01:56,548
[Chiamulera] <i> I've worked</i>
<i> in law enforcement</i>
<i> for 17 years.</i>

35
00:01:56,650 --> 00:01:59,618
I, unfortunately, had
to give the news

36
00:01:59,620 --> 00:02:03,355
to a family that someone
has passed away.

37
00:02:05,926 --> 00:02:07,792
[Chiamulera speaking]

38
00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:16,935
[Chiamulera] <i> You have</i>
<i> three fully uniformed</i>
<i> officers standing in your wo</i>

39
00:02:16,937 --> 00:02:19,505
<i> asking to meet with you</i>
<i> in a private area.</i>

40
00:02:19,507 --> 00:02:21,707
Her heart's just got
to be pounding.

41
00:02:22,710 --> 00:02:24,276
[Chiamulera speaking]

42
00:02:49,703 --> 00:02:51,637
[Detective Kyle Parish]
<i> Normally, when we do</i>
<i> death notifications</i>

43
00:02:51,738 --> 00:02:53,238
<i> people do have</i>
<i> a lot of questions,</i>

44
00:02:53,340 --> 00:02:55,407
<i> "How did it happen?</i>
<i> Was it quick?"</i>

45
00:02:55,409 --> 00:02:57,643
Just the basic questions of

46
00:02:57,744 --> 00:03:01,713
trying to process
how their loved one
has passed.

47
00:03:01,715 --> 00:03:03,949
<i> And a lot of the times</i>
<i> it takes them forever</i>

48
00:03:04,051 --> 00:03:06,952
<i> to grip the reality</i>
<i> that they're even dead.</i>

49
00:03:07,021 --> 00:03:08,020
[Chiamulera speaking]

50
00:03:11,125 --> 00:03:12,624
[Megan speaking]

51
00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:14,459
[Chiamulera speaking]

52
00:03:27,107 --> 00:03:29,841
[Chiamulera] <i> Early February</i>
<i> I got a phone call.</i>

53
00:03:29,943 --> 00:03:32,744
<i> An informant said a female</i>
<i> that he had worked with</i>

54
00:03:32,846 --> 00:03:34,846
<i> was attempting to find</i>

55
00:03:34,915 --> 00:03:37,082
someone to possibly
kill her husband.

56
00:03:41,322 --> 00:03:45,190
<i> A murder for hire is serious</i>
<i> someone's life</i>
<i> is is jeopardy.</i>

57
00:03:45,192 --> 00:03:48,961
So we set up a time to meet
with the informant
the very next day.

58
00:03:52,299 --> 00:03:54,333
<i> All he knew</i>
<i> was that her name was Megan</i>

59
00:03:54,401 --> 00:03:57,936
He knew her from work,
he knew she had a husband
and a couple of kids,

60
00:03:57,938 --> 00:04:00,606
<i> but other than Megan</i>
<i> he didn't even know</i>
<i> her last name.</i>

61
00:04:02,710 --> 00:04:04,643
The informant did show us
text messages

62
00:04:04,745 --> 00:04:07,813
that kind of show
that she was talking about it.

63
00:04:07,815 --> 00:04:11,617
There was talk of wanting
to find somebody
to kill her husband.

64
00:04:13,287 --> 00:04:16,822
<i> He stated that the reason</i>
<i> that she wanted him dead wa</i>

65
00:04:16,824 --> 00:04:20,325
she wanted a divorce,
but she couldn't afford
to live on her own

66
00:04:20,327 --> 00:04:21,927
<i> 'cause he was the breadwinne</i>

67
00:04:21,929 --> 00:04:24,663
<i> So it seemed like</i>
<i> it was financially motivated</i>

68
00:04:25,933 --> 00:04:27,332
<i> One of the text messages</i>

69
00:04:27,334 --> 00:04:30,602
she said that she was 90% sure
that she wanted
this to happen.

70
00:04:30,604 --> 00:04:32,404
That's a pretty high number.

71
00:04:34,942 --> 00:04:38,944
<i> So the next step was</i>
<i> to actually have the informa</i>
<i> meet with her in person.</i>

72
00:04:39,046 --> 00:04:40,712
<i> Actually hear her</i>

73
00:04:40,714 --> 00:04:45,250
say that she wants to do this,
that she wants
her husband dead.

74
00:04:45,352 --> 00:04:49,588
[narrator] <i> The informant</i>
<i> tells Megan, he can arrange</i>
<i> a deal with a hit man.</i>

75
00:04:49,590 --> 00:04:52,157
<i> He needs to discuss it</i>
<i> with her in person.</i>

76
00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:55,927
[Chiamulera] <i> Shortly later,</i>
<i> we got the reply back</i>

77
00:04:55,929 --> 00:04:57,629
<i> that Megan was willing</i>
<i> to meet up.</i>

78
00:04:57,631 --> 00:04:59,564
So we went to a park

79
00:04:59,633 --> 00:05:02,000
set up and waited for Megan
to arrive.

80
00:05:05,806 --> 00:05:07,105
[officer speaking]

81
00:05:10,611 --> 00:05:12,711
[Parish] <i> We provided</i>
<i> the informant with</i>

82
00:05:12,713 --> 00:05:16,148
a recorder
that we can listen into
as things are happening,

83
00:05:16,216 --> 00:05:18,950
and just kind of seeing
how serious this really was,

84
00:05:19,019 --> 00:05:21,420
whether they were willing
to take steps

85
00:05:21,422 --> 00:05:24,022
to further the conspiracy.

86
00:05:24,024 --> 00:05:26,625
[narrator] <i> Megan gets into</i>
<i> her coworker's car</i>

87
00:05:26,627 --> 00:05:29,127
<i> not knowing</i>
<i> he's a confidential informan</i>

88
00:05:29,730 --> 00:05:30,862
[informant speaking]

89
00:05:32,633 --> 00:05:34,299
[Megan speaking]

90
00:05:40,941 --> 00:05:41,640
[informant speaking]

91
00:05:41,709 --> 00:05:43,041
[Megan speaking]

92
00:05:45,612 --> 00:05:47,713
[Chiamulera] <i> It's difficult</i>
<i> to listen to.</i>

93
00:05:47,715 --> 00:05:49,514
I cannot believe that,

94
00:05:49,516 --> 00:05:52,117
that someone
is thinking like this.

95
00:05:52,119 --> 00:05:53,318
[informant speaking]

96
00:05:54,855 --> 00:05:56,221
[Megan speaking]

97
00:06:52,212 --> 00:06:55,947
I expected her
to come back and say,

98
00:06:55,949 --> 00:06:57,949
"No, I'm done.
I'm kidding, right?

99
00:06:57,951 --> 00:07:00,352
This is stupid I can't believe
I'm thinking like this."

100
00:07:02,022 --> 00:07:04,556
Within three days,
Megan was reaching out

101
00:07:04,658 --> 00:07:07,426
to the informant
to say she had
come up with it.

102
00:07:11,331 --> 00:07:14,499
<i> We knew Megan was serious</i>
<i> she was coming up with mone</i>

103
00:07:14,501 --> 00:07:16,635
and moving things forward.

104
00:07:18,405 --> 00:07:19,971
[narrator] <i> Detectives arrang</i>
<i> a meeting</i>

105
00:07:19,973 --> 00:07:23,809
<i> between Megan</i>
<i> and an undercover agent,</i>
<i> posing as a hit man.</i>

106
00:07:24,945 --> 00:07:27,245
Going into
undercover operations

107
00:07:27,347 --> 00:07:30,849
you always try
to prepare yourself
for anything that can happen.

108
00:07:33,220 --> 00:07:36,721
[Chiamulera] <i> We were able</i>
<i> to monitor live</i>
<i> through the radio.</i>

109
00:07:36,723 --> 00:07:38,824
We have a video camera set up

110
00:07:38,826 --> 00:07:42,027
<i> in our unmarked vehicle.</i>

111
00:07:42,029 --> 00:07:45,964
We have another camera
in Pendergast's car

112
00:07:45,966 --> 00:07:48,433
so that we can
monitor everything.

113
00:07:48,502 --> 00:07:49,301
[phone ringing]

114
00:07:50,737 --> 00:07:52,103
[Chiamulera speaking]

115
00:07:52,105 --> 00:07:53,605
[Pendergast speaking]

116
00:08:00,447 --> 00:08:02,214
[Megan speaking]

117
00:08:02,216 --> 00:08:03,615
[Pendergast speaking]

118
00:08:42,723 --> 00:08:46,358
She seemed as if
we were meeting
to conduct a transaction

119
00:08:46,426 --> 00:08:49,728
for a used item
she had listed
in the classifieds.

120
00:09:50,123 --> 00:09:54,059
[Pendergast] <i> The arrangemen</i>
<i> was for her to provide</i>
<i> a down payment</i>

121
00:09:54,061 --> 00:09:56,962
and the remainder of the money
to be provided...

122
00:09:58,165 --> 00:09:59,930
...once he had been killed.

123
00:10:27,361 --> 00:10:30,929
[Parish] <i> We didn't realize i</i>
<i> until actually we were</i>
<i> well on our way</i>

124
00:10:30,931 --> 00:10:34,633
this is Valentine's Day
that she's speaking to
a hit man to kill her husband.

125
00:10:36,937 --> 00:10:38,669
[Pendergast speaking]

126
00:11:03,397 --> 00:11:06,998
[Pendergast] <i> This was not</i>
<i> some knee-jerk reaction</i>
<i> from an argument.</i>

127
00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:10,035
This was something
that has been on her mind
for quite some time.

128
00:11:11,938 --> 00:11:12,804
[Megan speaking]

129
00:11:17,744 --> 00:11:18,909
[Pendergast] <i> She suggested</i>

130
00:11:18,911 --> 00:11:21,713
perhaps the homicide
could take place on the lake.

131
00:11:22,315 --> 00:11:24,616
[Pendergast speaking]

132
00:11:27,020 --> 00:11:29,154
[Megan speaking]

133
00:11:29,222 --> 00:11:31,423
[Pendergast] <i> One of</i>
<i> the options Megan had given </i>

134
00:11:31,425 --> 00:11:33,558
<i> regarding how to kill Nick</i>

135
00:11:33,627 --> 00:11:36,261
was for it to take place
in his vehicle.

136
00:11:36,362 --> 00:11:39,330
<i> She did, however, mention</i>
<i> she wanted to make sure</i>

137
00:11:39,332 --> 00:11:42,400
that the truck was totaled
so that she could collect
the insurance money.

138
00:11:43,103 --> 00:11:44,502
[Pendergast speaking]

139
00:11:50,610 --> 00:11:53,111
[Megan speaking]

140
00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:02,320
[Pendergast] <i> She was</i>
<i> not bluffing</i>

141
00:12:02,322 --> 00:12:05,623
<i> and this was going</i>
<i> to take place</i>
<i> whether we were involved</i>

142
00:12:05,625 --> 00:12:07,125
<i> or she had found someone els</i>

143
00:12:08,061 --> 00:12:09,728
<i> There was no doubt in my min</i>

144
00:12:09,730 --> 00:12:13,364
that Megan wanted
her husband murdered.

145
00:12:16,036 --> 00:12:20,205
[narrator] <i> To ensure</i>
<i> his safety, investigators</i>
<i> find Megan's husband</i>

146
00:12:20,207 --> 00:12:22,507
<i> and take him in</i>
<i> to protective custody.</i>

147
00:12:24,411 --> 00:12:26,911
[officer speaking]

148
00:12:49,002 --> 00:12:49,734
[sighs wearily]

149
00:12:51,505 --> 00:12:53,404
[Nicholas Danielczak speaking]

150
00:12:56,543 --> 00:12:58,710
[Chiamulera] <i> Absolute</i>
<i> disbelief from the husband.</i>

151
00:12:58,712 --> 00:13:02,247
Did not believe
this conversation took place,

152
00:13:02,348 --> 00:13:04,916
<i> did not believe that his wif</i>

153
00:13:04,918 --> 00:13:08,520
<i> who had just the night befor</i>
<i> given him a Valentine's card</i>

154
00:13:08,522 --> 00:13:11,556
was hiring a hit man
to kill him.

155
00:13:15,228 --> 00:13:16,427
Okay.

156
00:14:19,526 --> 00:14:21,559
[Chiamulera] <i> After meeting</i>
<i> with the husband</i>

157
00:14:21,628 --> 00:14:25,230
<i> we immediately went over</i>
<i> to Megan's work.</i>

158
00:14:31,805 --> 00:14:35,039
We wanted to see her reaction

159
00:14:35,041 --> 00:14:37,408
when she found out
that her husband

160
00:14:37,410 --> 00:14:39,143
had actually been killed.

161
00:14:39,245 --> 00:14:41,713
Um, and more importantly,
get it on film

162
00:14:41,715 --> 00:14:44,949
so that, you know,
a possible jury

163
00:14:44,951 --> 00:14:47,952
<i> could look at her reaction,</i>
<i> her emotion,</i>

164
00:14:47,954 --> 00:14:51,289
and compare it
to the other videos
that we had of her

165
00:14:51,291 --> 00:14:52,924
when she's sitting in the car
with the hit man.

166
00:14:54,527 --> 00:14:55,994
[Chiamulera speaking]

167
00:15:15,715 --> 00:15:18,850
[Chiamulera] <i> And to be hones</i>
<i> she knows the information</i>

168
00:15:18,919 --> 00:15:23,321
that we are about to tell her.

169
00:15:23,323 --> 00:15:26,658
She is expecting this,
she's paid for this,

170
00:15:26,759 --> 00:15:30,361
and now she gets to see
the end of the show.

171
00:15:31,131 --> 00:15:32,230
[Chiamulera speaking]

172
00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:35,700
[sobbing]

173
00:15:43,810 --> 00:15:45,243
[Chiamulera speaking]

174
00:15:56,823 --> 00:15:59,824
[Chiamulera] <i> In my opinion,</i>
<i> she was sitting there waitin</i>

175
00:15:59,826 --> 00:16:02,060
for us to just give her
this news,

176
00:16:02,062 --> 00:16:04,796
and then walk out the door,

177
00:16:04,798 --> 00:16:08,433
and her life to continue on
from there.

178
00:16:11,104 --> 00:16:12,403
[Chiamulera speaking]

179
00:17:07,260 --> 00:17:10,194
[Chiamulera] <i> It wasn't</i>
<i> until I asked her to stand u</i>

180
00:17:10,196 --> 00:17:13,331
<i> and put her hands</i>
<i> behind her back that we saw</i>

181
00:17:13,333 --> 00:17:15,933
that we saw the true emotion
come from Megan.

182
00:17:22,442 --> 00:17:23,941
[Parish] <i> It seemed</i>
<i> like she was defeated.</i>

183
00:17:24,611 --> 00:17:26,811
She knew she had lost

184
00:17:26,813 --> 00:17:30,715
and she just, kind of,
resigned to the fact
that she lost.

185
00:17:32,619 --> 00:17:34,552
Have a seat, ma'am.

186
00:17:38,792 --> 00:17:42,860
<i> At that point, I would have</i>
<i> probably been hysterical</i>
<i> if I would have been her.</i>

187
00:17:42,896 --> 00:17:45,630
Um, but, it was,
she was stone-cold

188
00:17:45,632 --> 00:17:47,899
<i> that coldness was still ther</i>

189
00:17:47,901 --> 00:17:51,202
<i> It was just an odd feeling.</i>

190
00:17:51,204 --> 00:17:55,940
[narrator] <i> Megan Wanty</i>
<i> is charged with first-degre</i>
<i> intentional homicide.</i>

191
00:17:55,942 --> 00:17:59,811
<i> In February 2019,</i>
<i> she pleads no contest.</i>

192
00:18:01,147 --> 00:18:04,048
<i> The judge takes</i>
<i> her clean record into accoun</i>

193
00:18:04,050 --> 00:18:06,651
<i> and she is sentenced</i>
<i> to two years in prison.</i>

194
00:18:08,822 --> 00:18:10,555
<i> Megan is now divorced</i>

195
00:18:10,623 --> 00:18:13,758
<i> and is not allowed any conta</i>
<i> with her ex-husband.</i>

196
00:18:16,096 --> 00:18:20,098
[Chiamulera] <i> If that informa</i>
<i> had not come forward</i>
<i> and mentioned something.</i>

197
00:18:20,100 --> 00:18:22,900
<i> I truly believe</i>
<i> she would have figured out</i>

198
00:18:22,902 --> 00:18:26,204
<i> a way on her own</i>
<i> to make it happen.</i>

199
00:18:26,206 --> 00:18:30,208
Her husband would have
been killed some way,
shape, or form.

200
00:18:33,513 --> 00:18:36,414
[Parish] <i> So to be able</i>
<i> to save the husband's life</i>

201
00:18:36,416 --> 00:18:38,216
made us feel pretty good
about what we had done.

202
00:18:41,154 --> 00:18:44,355
[Chiamulera] <i> I am proud of</i>
<i> the Rhinelander</i>
<i> Police Department.</i>

203
00:18:44,424 --> 00:18:47,225
In six days,
from start to finish,

204
00:18:47,227 --> 00:18:48,593
<i> we were able to get</i>

205
00:18:48,595 --> 00:18:51,562
<i> all of</i>
<i> the necessary information</i>

206
00:18:51,631 --> 00:18:53,865
<i> to make it a successful case</i>

207
00:18:53,900 --> 00:18:56,934
<i> Megan went to prison,</i>
<i> no one did get hurt,</i>

208
00:18:57,003 --> 00:19:00,004
her kids are still happy
and healthy,

209
00:19:00,006 --> 00:19:01,939
and so is the husband.

210
00:19:09,115 --> 00:19:10,114
[narrator] <i> In Colorado,</i>

211
00:19:11,317 --> 00:19:13,784
<i> 70 miles northeast of Denver</i>

212
00:19:13,853 --> 00:19:15,119
<i> is Fort Morgan.</i>

213
00:19:17,524 --> 00:19:18,956
[dispatcher speaking]

214
00:19:20,160 --> 00:19:21,993
[caller speaking]

215
00:19:53,426 --> 00:19:56,527
[narrator] <i> Logan County</i>
<i> Sheriff's Department,</i>
<i> Sergeant Clay Rockwell,</i>

216
00:19:56,529 --> 00:19:58,029
<i> is in the city of Sterling</i>

217
00:19:58,865 --> 00:20:01,499
<i> where the semi is headed.</i>

218
00:20:01,501 --> 00:20:03,701
[Sergeant Clay Rockwell]
<i> I heard the call come out</i>
<i> over the radio.</i>

219
00:20:03,703 --> 00:20:06,904
I started heading to
the direction
where the semi was travelling.

220
00:20:08,708 --> 00:20:09,673
[Rockwell speaking]

221
00:20:14,047 --> 00:20:16,814
<i> Found the semi</i>
<i> out on Highway 14.</i>

222
00:20:16,816 --> 00:20:18,549
<i> He was coming into Sterling</i>

223
00:20:18,651 --> 00:20:19,750
[siren wailing]

224
00:20:19,852 --> 00:20:22,119
[Rockwell speaking]

225
00:20:28,528 --> 00:20:32,029
<i> The semi was driving</i>
<i> at a high rate of speed</i>
<i> and all over the road.</i>

226
00:20:32,031 --> 00:20:35,032
Definitely going way too fast
and putting people

227
00:20:35,101 --> 00:20:36,100
...lives in danger.

228
00:20:39,138 --> 00:20:40,905
[sirens blaring]

229
00:20:40,907 --> 00:20:43,307
[dispatcher]

230
00:20:46,479 --> 00:20:49,347
[narrator] The semi crosses
the Morgan County line

231
00:20:49,415 --> 00:20:52,116
<i> and is now heading</i>
<i> toward the city of Brush.</i>

232
00:20:55,421 --> 00:20:58,656
<i> Morgan County issues</i>
<i> a Be On the Look Out bulleti</i>

233
00:20:58,758 --> 00:21:00,524
<i> to all on-duty officers.</i>

234
00:21:03,363 --> 00:21:06,130
[Griggs] <i> I hear</i>
<i> the BOLO come out</i>

235
00:21:06,132 --> 00:21:08,132
<i> that the semitruck is comin</i>

236
00:21:08,234 --> 00:21:10,801
into Morgan County
from the Sterling-Logan area.

237
00:21:12,505 --> 00:21:16,507
[narrator] <i> The truck has no</i>
<i> forced several vehicles</i>
<i> off the road.</i>

238
00:21:16,509 --> 00:21:19,243
[Griggs] <i> We have</i>
<i> the Fort Morgan</i>
<i> Police Department,</i>

239
00:21:19,312 --> 00:21:20,511
<i> Brush Police Department,</i>

240
00:21:20,513 --> 00:21:22,513
<i> Log Lane Marshal's Office,</i>

241
00:21:22,515 --> 00:21:24,215
<i> Colorado State Patrol.</i>

242
00:21:24,217 --> 00:21:26,717
<i> All of those agencies</i>
<i> become involved.</i>

243
00:21:29,355 --> 00:21:32,523
[narrator] <i> One</i>
<i> of the responders is</i>
<i> Corporal Ross Blank</i>

244
00:21:32,525 --> 00:21:34,225
<i> from the Brush</i>
<i> Police Department.</i>

245
00:21:36,229 --> 00:21:37,628
[Blank]

246
00:21:41,501 --> 00:21:43,801
[Griggs] <i> Corporal Blank had</i>
<i> already called out</i>

247
00:21:43,803 --> 00:21:47,805
that this driver was actively
trying to hit civilians.

248
00:21:50,043 --> 00:21:51,842
This is a lethal
force encounter.

249
00:21:53,246 --> 00:21:56,914
[gun firing]

250
00:21:56,916 --> 00:22:00,217
<i> Corporal Blank fires</i>
<i> through his windshield,</i>

251
00:22:00,219 --> 00:22:01,952
<i> aiming at the tires.</i>

252
00:22:01,954 --> 00:22:05,456
[gun firing]

253
00:22:05,525 --> 00:22:08,359
[narrator] <i> Corporal Blank</i>
<i> attempts to puncture the tir</i>

254
00:22:08,428 --> 00:22:11,729
<i> which would slow the semi do</i>
<i> or bring it to a stop.</i>

255
00:22:11,731 --> 00:22:13,364
[Blank]

256
00:22:13,466 --> 00:22:16,934
When you think about
the sidewall of a semi tire,

257
00:22:17,003 --> 00:22:20,304
<i> you're talking about</i>
<i> very dense rubber</i>

258
00:22:20,306 --> 00:22:22,006
<i> and steel belting.</i>

259
00:22:22,008 --> 00:22:23,507
[gun fires]

260
00:22:24,944 --> 00:22:26,811
[gun fires]

261
00:22:26,813 --> 00:22:29,280
The ultimate result was
that it was ineffective.

262
00:22:31,551 --> 00:22:36,020
<i> At that point,</i>
<i> I've got another officer</i>
<i> in an active pursuit.</i>

263
00:22:36,022 --> 00:22:39,957
<i> As both a supervisor</i>
<i> and also just as</i>
<i> a fellow officer,</i>

264
00:22:39,959 --> 00:22:42,426
<i> I'm not gonna leave an offic</i>
<i> hanging out there.</i>

265
00:22:42,428 --> 00:22:44,228
We're gonna go and help
right now.

266
00:22:45,198 --> 00:22:47,998
<i> As I'm responding</i>
<i> from Fort Morgan,</i>

267
00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:52,002
<i> I am now eastbound</i>
<i> on Highway 34...</i>

268
00:22:52,939 --> 00:22:54,805
[dispatcher]

269
00:23:00,346 --> 00:23:02,813
...and I ended up directly
behind the semitruck.

270
00:23:05,151 --> 00:23:07,718
<i> This situation is deadly.</i>

271
00:23:09,355 --> 00:23:12,757
<i> This is</i>
<i> an 80,000-pound missile</i>

272
00:23:12,858 --> 00:23:15,626
<i> barreling down the road.</i>

273
00:23:15,628 --> 00:23:19,463
<i> There's the potential</i>
<i> for people pulling out</i>
<i> of their driveways</i>

274
00:23:19,565 --> 00:23:21,832
<i> that go right</i>
<i> onto this highway.</i>

275
00:23:21,934 --> 00:23:26,303
<i> The potential for civilian</i>
<i> casualties was very real.</i>

276
00:23:27,507 --> 00:23:29,840
<i> This night had just become</i>

277
00:23:29,942 --> 00:23:31,842
a once in a lifetime
sort of shift.

278
00:23:31,944 --> 00:23:34,578
[sirens blaring]

279
00:23:34,580 --> 00:23:37,848
<i> About half a mile ahead of m</i>

280
00:23:37,950 --> 00:23:40,017
<i> I can see the red</i>
<i> and blue lights</i>

281
00:23:40,019 --> 00:23:41,919
<i> of Deputy Steve Berlanga.</i>

282
00:23:44,223 --> 00:23:45,623
[dispatcher]

283
00:23:49,529 --> 00:23:51,061
[Griggs]

284
00:23:51,664 --> 00:23:53,831
[sirens blaring]

285
00:23:55,535 --> 00:23:58,602
<i> All the sudden,</i>
<i> he just shot off the road.</i>

286
00:23:59,806 --> 00:24:01,739
<i> All I could see was</i>
<i> just red and blue lights</i>

287
00:24:01,841 --> 00:24:02,806
and then, gone.

288
00:24:06,412 --> 00:24:08,512
Then all I saw was
the headlights of a semi.

289
00:24:11,951 --> 00:24:14,318
I didn't know exactly
what had happened.

290
00:24:19,025 --> 00:24:20,858
<i> But at that point, I'm like</i>

291
00:24:20,960 --> 00:24:24,228
<i> "I just have a deputy</i>
<i> that at a minimum</i>
<i> just wrecked his car,</i>

292
00:24:24,230 --> 00:24:27,131
and worst case scenario,
may be injured or killed."

293
00:24:31,938 --> 00:24:33,437
[Berlanga]

294
00:24:42,114 --> 00:24:45,616
[Griggs] <i> Deputy Berlanga ha</i>
<i> actually just yanked the whe</i>

295
00:24:45,618 --> 00:24:48,819
<i> and he was able to get</i>
<i> out of the way of that truck</i>

296
00:24:49,956 --> 00:24:52,623
<i> and actually ended up</i>
<i> out in a cornfield.</i>

297
00:24:54,727 --> 00:24:57,728
He managed to get
turned around and ended up
back in the pursuit with us.

298
00:25:01,501 --> 00:25:03,234
<i> We're driving</i>
<i> down the interstate.</i>

299
00:25:03,302 --> 00:25:05,202
<i> I'm behind this truck.</i>

300
00:25:07,206 --> 00:25:10,508
<i> We're doing</i>
<i> 75, 80 miles per hour.</i>

301
00:25:10,510 --> 00:25:13,110
<i> The feelings of helplessness</i>

302
00:25:13,112 --> 00:25:14,712
"What can I do
to stop this thing?"

303
00:25:22,054 --> 00:25:24,154
<i> The stop sticks that we hav</i>

304
00:25:24,223 --> 00:25:27,024
<i> are designed to be used</i>
<i> on passenger cars.</i>

305
00:25:27,026 --> 00:25:30,261
They are not designed to work
on heavy-duty truck tires.

306
00:25:31,163 --> 00:25:33,931
[dispatcher 1]

307
00:25:35,935 --> 00:25:38,802
[dispatcher 2]

308
00:25:40,306 --> 00:25:44,108
[Griggs] <i> The next intersecti</i>
<i> is Barlow Road and Riverview</i>

309
00:25:44,110 --> 00:25:46,010
[radio chatter]

310
00:25:47,613 --> 00:25:49,246
[Griggs]

311
00:25:55,421 --> 00:25:59,456
<i> At that intersection,</i>
<i> there was a Fort Morgan</i>
<i> Police Sergeant</i>

312
00:25:59,558 --> 00:26:02,192
<i> in a marked patrol car</i>
<i> with lights on</i>

313
00:26:02,194 --> 00:26:05,729
to keep people
from getting onto Barlow Road.

314
00:26:05,731 --> 00:26:11,402
<i> The semi actually swerved</i>
<i> to essentially aim</i>
<i> for that patrol car.</i>

315
00:26:20,613 --> 00:26:23,714
[dispatcher]

316
00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:31,422
[Griggs] <i> He T-boned</i>
<i> the Fort Morgan Police</i>
<i> Department car</i>

317
00:26:32,124 --> 00:26:34,024
<i> and actually pushed that ca</i>

318
00:26:34,026 --> 00:26:36,060
<i> quite a ways out</i>
<i> into the intersection.</i>

319
00:26:38,130 --> 00:26:41,198
<i> The sergeant actually put i</i>
<i> in drive and give it some ga</i>

320
00:26:41,200 --> 00:26:44,835
<i> and he was able to pull off</i>
<i> the front of the semi</i>

321
00:26:44,937 --> 00:26:46,604
<i> as he's being pushed sideway</i>

322
00:26:48,107 --> 00:26:51,308
<i> Seeing these horrific thing</i>
<i> going on,</i>

323
00:26:51,310 --> 00:26:53,510
<i> you know, there is</i>
<i> that moment of,</i>

324
00:26:53,512 --> 00:26:56,747
"Wow," you know, like,
"Did that, that really
just happened."

325
00:26:59,485 --> 00:27:02,219
That cemented in my mind,

326
00:27:02,221 --> 00:27:03,621
"This guy's trying
to kill people."

327
00:27:14,600 --> 00:27:18,002
[dispatcher]

328
00:27:18,004 --> 00:27:21,138
[Griggs] <i> I continued</i>
<i> in the pursuit at that point</i>

329
00:27:21,240 --> 00:27:24,808
<i> and Corporal Blank stopped</i>
<i> to check on Sergeant Miller</i>

330
00:27:24,810 --> 00:27:26,043
<i> make sure</i>
<i> that he was all right.</i>

331
00:27:33,419 --> 00:27:35,419
[dispatcher]

332
00:27:37,623 --> 00:27:41,525
<i> He crosses over the median</i>
<i> into oncoming traffic.</i>

333
00:27:41,527 --> 00:27:44,395
<i> We now have</i>
<i> an 80,000-pound semi</i>

334
00:27:44,397 --> 00:27:49,199
<i> going the wrong way, head o</i>
<i> to unsuspecting motorists.</i>

335
00:27:50,503 --> 00:27:53,303
<i> I have seen numerous crashe</i>
<i> on that interstate.</i>

336
00:27:53,305 --> 00:27:56,907
I know that that is
a very deadly situation.

337
00:27:59,011 --> 00:28:01,412
<i> I'm starting to get on the g</i>
<i> a little bit, thinking,</i>

338
00:28:01,414 --> 00:28:03,847
<i> "Maybe if I could get</i>
<i> in front of him,</i>

339
00:28:03,949 --> 00:28:06,116
<i> I can shoot backwards."</i>

340
00:28:06,118 --> 00:28:08,585
<i> As I start</i>
<i> to actually accelerate,</i>

341
00:28:08,587 --> 00:28:10,821
<i> the semitruck driver realize</i>

342
00:28:10,823 --> 00:28:13,157
<i> "Oh, that cop is trying</i>
<i> to get in front of me,"</i>

343
00:28:14,860 --> 00:28:17,094
<i> then goes</i>
<i> through the grassy median</i>

344
00:28:17,096 --> 00:28:18,629
<i> and cuts me off.</i>

345
00:28:19,865 --> 00:28:25,836
We now have the longest
eight or nine minutes
of my life.

346
00:28:42,221 --> 00:28:46,123
<i> Brush is a small community,</i>
<i> about 6,000 people.</i>

347
00:28:46,659 --> 00:28:47,925
<i> That's where I live.</i>

348
00:28:47,927 --> 00:28:49,693
<i> That's where my house is.</i>

349
00:28:49,695 --> 00:28:53,430
<i> That's where my kids were</i>
<i> at home that night.</i>

350
00:28:53,432 --> 00:28:57,735
There were people that I love
and care about personally

351
00:28:57,803 --> 00:29:00,204
that were in the way
of this truck.

352
00:29:08,214 --> 00:29:09,546
[Griggs]

353
00:29:12,118 --> 00:29:14,118
[dispatcher]

354
00:29:21,427 --> 00:29:24,695
I was really hoping
that we would have

355
00:29:24,697 --> 00:29:27,698
<i> a barricade,</i>
<i> a roadblock set up,</i>

356
00:29:27,700 --> 00:29:30,801
<i> something keeping him</i>
<i> on that interstate.</i>

357
00:29:33,639 --> 00:29:36,473
<i> I realized that there is</i>
<i> no barricade</i>

358
00:29:36,475 --> 00:29:38,041
<i> and that there is no roadblo</i>

359
00:29:38,043 --> 00:29:39,710
<i> and that he is</i>
<i> taking this exit.</i>

360
00:29:40,780 --> 00:29:43,013
[dispatcher]

361
00:29:48,120 --> 00:29:50,821
[Griggs] <i> Instead of making</i>
<i> the right-hand turn,</i>

362
00:29:50,823 --> 00:29:54,024
<i> he jumps the curb,</i>
<i> cuts through the grass,</i>

363
00:29:54,026 --> 00:29:56,860
<i> and ends up</i>
<i> in a semi parking lot.</i>

364
00:29:58,130 --> 00:30:00,631
<i> The next thing that I see</i>
<i> beyond the truck</i>

365
00:30:00,633 --> 00:30:01,832
<i> are the diesel pumps.</i>

366
00:30:02,535 --> 00:30:04,802
<i> I had that thought in my min</i>

367
00:30:04,804 --> 00:30:07,204
<i> of him striking</i>
<i> those fuel pumps</i>

368
00:30:07,206 --> 00:30:10,908
<i> and just this explosion.</i>

369
00:30:10,910 --> 00:30:13,210
<i> I'm watching him head</i>
<i> for the diesel pumps.</i>

370
00:30:13,212 --> 00:30:15,913
<i> He had probably</i>
<i> 45, 50 miles per hour.</i>

371
00:30:20,319 --> 00:30:24,054
He threads the needle
between two pumps,

372
00:30:24,156 --> 00:30:29,226
which are a foot or so wider
that the width of the truck.

373
00:30:32,064 --> 00:30:33,163
<i> I follow him.</i>

374
00:30:33,265 --> 00:30:35,132
[dispatcher]

375
00:30:36,135 --> 00:30:38,502
[Griggs]

376
00:30:40,039 --> 00:30:45,242
<i> A pedestrian walking</i>
<i> back to his truck looks at m</i>

377
00:30:45,311 --> 00:30:48,212
and, like, throws his hands up
like, "What the hell?"

378
00:30:49,248 --> 00:30:51,615
<i> This is my job</i>
<i> to protect that man,</i>

379
00:30:52,751 --> 00:30:55,118
<i> and he's looking at me going</i>

380
00:30:55,120 --> 00:30:56,420
<i> "Why aren't you</i>
<i> doing something?"</i>

381
00:30:57,723 --> 00:31:00,157
At that point, there's just
nothing I could do

382
00:31:00,226 --> 00:31:01,859
other than try and get people
out of the way.

383
00:31:03,829 --> 00:31:06,430
[Berlanga]

384
00:31:12,304 --> 00:31:14,938
[radio chatter]

385
00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:17,307
[Griggs] <i> He makes a turn</i>
<i> to the right</i>

386
00:31:17,309 --> 00:31:20,043
<i> and is heading back</i>
<i> towards the roadway.</i>

387
00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:30,621
<i> The semi makes</i>
<i> a hard left turn</i>

388
00:31:30,623 --> 00:31:33,523
<i> and is now going east on Mil</i>

389
00:31:36,362 --> 00:31:40,097
<i> We're all now doing</i>
<i> 60 miles per hour</i>

390
00:31:40,099 --> 00:31:43,300
<i> on this narrow,</i>
<i> residential street,</i>

391
00:31:43,302 --> 00:31:45,903
<i> passing the hardware store</i>
<i> that I shop at</i>

392
00:31:45,905 --> 00:31:49,606
<i> and, um, the cemetery</i>
<i> where my grandparents</i>
<i> are buried.</i>

393
00:31:49,608 --> 00:31:51,208
You know,
this is where I live.

394
00:32:02,421 --> 00:32:04,855
[Blank]

395
00:32:07,960 --> 00:32:10,761
[Griggs] <i> Corporal Blank had</i>
<i> positioned himself</i>

396
00:32:10,829 --> 00:32:12,529
right along Mill Street

397
00:32:12,531 --> 00:32:15,699
<i> in the parking lot</i>
<i> of the middle school.</i>

398
00:32:16,402 --> 00:32:18,301
[Blank]

399
00:32:19,405 --> 00:32:22,639
[Griggs] <i> At that point,</i>
<i> his body camera had actuall</i>
<i> fallen off his uniform.</i>

400
00:32:23,142 --> 00:32:25,842
[gun firing]

401
00:32:31,050 --> 00:32:34,718
The semi actually swerves
into the parking lot

402
00:32:34,720 --> 00:32:36,720
to hit Ross' car

403
00:32:36,722 --> 00:32:40,123
and Ross was firing rounds

404
00:32:40,125 --> 00:32:42,125
<i> into the cab of this truck.</i>

405
00:32:42,127 --> 00:32:45,262
[gun firing]

406
00:32:45,364 --> 00:32:47,130
Again, just through...

407
00:32:48,200 --> 00:32:49,499
...I guess, luck,

408
00:32:49,501 --> 00:32:52,002
this guy is not directly hit

409
00:32:52,004 --> 00:32:53,503
<i> by any of those bullets.</i>

410
00:32:53,505 --> 00:32:55,605
[gun firing]

411
00:32:57,409 --> 00:32:59,743
<i> He strikes Ross' car.</i>

412
00:32:59,812 --> 00:33:02,312
Corporal Blank's car is
completely demolished,

413
00:33:02,314 --> 00:33:03,947
so he's out of the pursuit.

414
00:33:06,452 --> 00:33:08,352
[Berlanga]

415
00:33:08,453 --> 00:33:10,220
[radio chatter]

416
00:33:11,523 --> 00:33:13,623
[Berlanga]

417
00:33:23,736 --> 00:33:25,202
[Griggs] <i> I go</i>
<i> up to the corner.</i>

418
00:33:26,005 --> 00:33:28,038
<i> I make</i>
<i> the hard right-hand turn</i>

419
00:33:28,107 --> 00:33:29,539
<i> to try and get</i>
<i> in front of him,</i>

420
00:33:30,642 --> 00:33:32,943
<i> but the semitruck was</i>
<i> able to cut me off.</i>

421
00:33:34,580 --> 00:33:37,948
<i> I see a civilian car stoppe</i>
<i> at the next intersection.</i>

422
00:33:47,326 --> 00:33:49,860
<i> I watch the car get hit</i>

423
00:33:49,961 --> 00:33:51,962
<i> and kind of come off</i>
<i> the side of the truck.</i>

424
00:33:53,132 --> 00:33:55,532
<i> I know there's people inside</i>

425
00:33:55,601 --> 00:33:59,436
I know that there is
the potential that I just
watched someone die.

426
00:34:04,143 --> 00:34:06,410
<i> Undersheriff Martin was</i>
<i> behind me.</i>

427
00:34:06,412 --> 00:34:08,011
<i> He stopped to render aid</i>

428
00:34:08,013 --> 00:34:09,813
and we continued
in the pursuit.

429
00:34:13,819 --> 00:34:17,320
<i> We are, at this point,</i>
<i> less than a block</i>
<i> away from my house.</i>

430
00:34:17,322 --> 00:34:20,323
<i> I can literally see</i>
<i> my backyard.</i>

431
00:34:20,325 --> 00:34:23,060
We are that close to my home.

432
00:34:23,595 --> 00:34:25,729
<i> My children are there.</i>

433
00:34:28,233 --> 00:34:30,934
<i> We continue</i>
<i> on Colorado Avenue.</i>

434
00:34:30,936 --> 00:34:32,803
[radio chatter]

435
00:34:32,805 --> 00:34:35,739
[Griggs] <i> The semitruck made</i>
<i> a hard right turn.</i>

436
00:34:35,808 --> 00:34:38,909
<i> The tires on the trailer</i>
<i> actually lock up.</i>

437
00:34:42,014 --> 00:34:47,250
<i> This driver literally drifte</i>
<i> an 80,000-pound semitruck.</i>

438
00:34:47,352 --> 00:34:49,219
<i> He spun that truck,</i>

439
00:34:49,221 --> 00:34:52,456
<i> went into the Bank of Colora</i>
<i> parking lot.</i>

440
00:34:53,325 --> 00:34:54,825
[radio chatter]

441
00:34:54,827 --> 00:34:57,527
This was one
of those moments in this

442
00:34:57,529 --> 00:34:58,728
where we got lucky.

443
00:35:00,499 --> 00:35:03,500
<i> There is a very tall curb</i>

444
00:35:03,502 --> 00:35:06,136
<i> between the Bank of Colorad</i>
<i> parking lot</i>

445
00:35:06,205 --> 00:35:07,704
<i> and the neighboring property</i>

446
00:35:07,706 --> 00:35:10,240
<i> As the semi leaves the stree</i>

447
00:35:10,342 --> 00:35:11,842
<i> he hits that curb.</i>

448
00:35:15,013 --> 00:35:17,180
I'm hearing pop, pop,

449
00:35:17,182 --> 00:35:20,217
like, two very distinct pops.

450
00:35:21,820 --> 00:35:24,721
<i> My first instinct was,</i>
<i> "Ooh, did he just</i>
<i> shoot at me?"</i>

451
00:35:24,723 --> 00:35:26,923
<i> And then, my next thought wa</i>

452
00:35:26,925 --> 00:35:28,358
"He just popped his tires."

453
00:35:29,928 --> 00:35:32,562
<i> Both front tires on that tru</i>
<i> were deflated.</i>

454
00:35:32,631 --> 00:35:36,900
<i> His speeds go from 55,</i>
<i> 75 miles per hour</i>

455
00:35:36,902 --> 00:35:39,202
<i> to about 15 miles per hour.</i>

456
00:35:39,905 --> 00:35:41,404
[dispatcher]

457
00:35:43,609 --> 00:35:45,542
[Griggs] <i> It's kind of weavin</i>
<i> back and forth.</i>

458
00:35:49,014 --> 00:35:50,413
<i> It's taking out power poles</i>

459
00:35:51,016 --> 00:35:52,281
<i> It's hitting cars.</i>

460
00:35:53,919 --> 00:35:56,753
He makes a left-hand turn
and hits another car head on.

461
00:36:00,325 --> 00:36:04,728
<i> If this truck decides</i>
<i> to just plow into a house,</i>

462
00:36:04,730 --> 00:36:09,299
the potential
for mass casualties is huge.

463
00:36:15,107 --> 00:36:16,606
[Griggs] <i> I realize</i>
<i> that every time</i>

464
00:36:16,608 --> 00:36:18,742
<i> he makes a left-hand turn,</i>

465
00:36:18,810 --> 00:36:23,046
<i> the driver's door of the tru</i>
<i> is fully exposed.</i>

466
00:36:23,048 --> 00:36:25,415
<i> He's literally presenting m</i>
<i> a target.</i>

467
00:36:25,417 --> 00:36:29,019
<i> If I can just wait for him</i>
<i> to make a left-hand turn,</i>

468
00:36:29,021 --> 00:36:30,854
<i> I can take out this threat.</i>

469
00:36:30,923 --> 00:36:33,456
<i> My first instinct was</i>
<i> to reach for my rifle.</i>

470
00:36:33,558 --> 00:36:37,527
<i> However, my rifle has falle</i>
<i> into the floor board</i>

471
00:36:37,529 --> 00:36:39,329
<i> on the passenger side</i>
<i> of my patrol car.</i>

472
00:36:40,232 --> 00:36:42,899
<i> My back-up is my pistol.</i>

473
00:36:43,802 --> 00:36:45,702
[radio chatter]

474
00:36:46,338 --> 00:36:47,804
[gun firing]

475
00:36:51,710 --> 00:36:55,912
[Griggs] <i> I fired four round</i>
<i> into the side of the truck</i>

476
00:36:55,914 --> 00:36:57,314
<i> through my windshield.</i>

477
00:36:59,218 --> 00:37:01,718
[gun firing]

478
00:37:02,688 --> 00:37:05,222
The problem was
I came in a little bit low.

479
00:37:06,592 --> 00:37:10,560
<i> He makes a few more turns</i>
<i> through the neighborhood</i>

480
00:37:10,662 --> 00:37:17,300
<i> and comes into, like,</i>
<i> the driveway area</i>
<i> of this house.</i>

481
00:37:17,302 --> 00:37:22,706
[radio chatter]

482
00:37:22,708 --> 00:37:28,211
Plain as day, I saw him
jump out the driver's door
of that truck.

483
00:37:30,949 --> 00:37:33,116
<i> And I call out on the radio.</i>

484
00:37:51,203 --> 00:37:53,603
[Rockwell] <i> Time I rolled up</i>
<i> on scene and the time</i>
<i> I got out of my vehicle,</i>

485
00:37:53,605 --> 00:37:56,840
it was unsure if he was still
in the semi or if he ran.

486
00:37:59,811 --> 00:38:01,478
<i> It was chaotic.</i>

487
00:38:01,480 --> 00:38:04,247
<i> There was people talking,</i>
<i> trying to figure out</i>
<i> what was going on.</i>

488
00:38:09,354 --> 00:38:12,022
[Griggs]

489
00:38:40,519 --> 00:38:42,319
[Rockwell]

490
00:38:48,527 --> 00:38:50,527
Some of the residents
came outside that house

491
00:38:50,529 --> 00:38:53,963
and said he was inside
trying to get a firearm.

492
00:38:53,999 --> 00:38:56,933
<i> At that point, I thought</i>
<i> it was gonna be</i>
<i> a hostage situation</i>

493
00:38:56,935 --> 00:38:59,502
<i> where he was gonna barricad</i>
<i> himself inside that house.</i>

494
00:39:04,142 --> 00:39:05,842
<i> My worst fear at that time</i>

495
00:39:05,911 --> 00:39:07,811
is it was gonna be
essentially a shootout.

496
00:39:19,324 --> 00:39:20,757
[Griggs]

497
00:39:27,866 --> 00:39:30,100
[officer shouting]

498
00:39:36,608 --> 00:39:38,808
[Griggs]

499
00:39:41,713 --> 00:39:44,314
I heard Deputy Berlanga
calling out

500
00:39:44,316 --> 00:39:46,349
and, you know,
having someone at gunpoint.

501
00:39:46,451 --> 00:39:48,451
[Berlanga]

502
00:39:50,222 --> 00:39:51,054
[Griggs]

503
00:39:51,123 --> 00:39:51,821
[Berlanga]

504
00:39:52,524 --> 00:39:53,256
[Griggs]

505
00:39:54,526 --> 00:39:55,525
[Berlanga]

506
00:39:58,997 --> 00:40:00,663
[man]

507
00:40:03,602 --> 00:40:06,703
[narrator] <i> The police identi</i>
<i> the driver of the semitruck</i>

508
00:40:06,705 --> 00:40:09,305
<i> as 29-year-old</i>
<i> Christopher Luedtke</i>

509
00:40:09,307 --> 00:40:10,807
<i> from Morgan County.</i>

510
00:40:15,447 --> 00:40:18,448
[Griggs] <i> There were</i>
<i> several people</i>
<i> that were injured.</i>

511
00:40:20,652 --> 00:40:22,819
<i> There were two teenagers,</i>

512
00:40:22,821 --> 00:40:25,121
<i> who actually go to school</i>
<i> with my children,</i>

513
00:40:25,123 --> 00:40:26,423
<i> that were injured</i>

514
00:40:26,425 --> 00:40:28,658
<i> that were in a car</i>
<i> that he had hit.</i>

515
00:40:28,760 --> 00:40:32,162
<i> There was a couple that wer</i>
<i> in the car that he had hit</i>

516
00:40:32,230 --> 00:40:33,963
<i> that were severely injured.</i>

517
00:40:34,533 --> 00:40:36,032
Amazingly...

518
00:40:37,636 --> 00:40:38,701
...no one was killed.

519
00:40:40,005 --> 00:40:43,139
<i> Our crime scene was</i>
<i> the county.</i>

520
00:40:43,208 --> 00:40:44,707
<i> We had a crime scene</i>

521
00:40:44,709 --> 00:40:49,112
<i> that was miles, and miles,</i>
<i> and miles, and miles long..</i>

522
00:40:50,315 --> 00:40:53,750
<i> ...with a trail</i>
<i> of destruction throughout.</i>

523
00:40:53,852 --> 00:40:56,753
<i> Every single law enforcemen</i>
<i> agency in the county</i>

524
00:40:56,822 --> 00:40:58,421
<i> started calling people in,</i>

525
00:40:58,423 --> 00:41:02,225
<i> because we did not have</i>
<i> enough officers</i>

526
00:41:02,227 --> 00:41:05,028
to handle something
of this magnitude.

527
00:41:07,466 --> 00:41:09,632
[narrator] <i> In July 2018,</i>

528
00:41:09,734 --> 00:41:11,901
<i> Christopher Luedtke</i>
<i> pleads guilty</i>

529
00:41:11,903 --> 00:41:15,338
<i> to vehicle theft</i>
<i> and first-degree</i>
<i> attempted murder.</i>

530
00:41:15,440 --> 00:41:18,041
<i> He is sentenced</i>
<i> to 20 years in prison.</i>

531
00:41:23,548 --> 00:41:28,918
This situation was
life-altering for me

532
00:41:28,920 --> 00:41:31,120
in several ways.

533
00:41:31,122 --> 00:41:33,056
<i> I do a dangerous job.</i>

534
00:41:33,124 --> 00:41:38,061
<i> But this, to me, felt like</i>
<i> the closest I had ever come</i>

535
00:41:38,162 --> 00:41:39,729
<i> to my own mortality.</i>

536
00:41:39,731 --> 00:41:42,432
<i> And what really hit home</i>
<i> for me was...</i>

537
00:41:43,602 --> 00:41:46,002
...life is not infinite,

538
00:41:46,004 --> 00:41:47,937
and that I only get
one shot at this.

539
00:41:49,608 --> 00:41:51,307
<i> I've known since I was a chi</i>

540
00:41:51,309 --> 00:41:52,442
<i> that I, I'm gay,</i>

541
00:41:52,544 --> 00:41:54,310
and I was closeted

542
00:41:54,312 --> 00:41:58,114
and never allowed myself

543
00:41:58,116 --> 00:42:00,717
to be who I knew
that I actually was.

544
00:42:00,719 --> 00:42:03,419
<i> And I couldn't</i>
<i> do that anymore.</i>

545
00:42:03,421 --> 00:42:09,626
I am proudly the first
openly-gay officer
in Morgan County,

546
00:42:09,628 --> 00:42:12,061
<i> and the response</i>
<i> has been great.</i>

547
00:42:12,063 --> 00:42:14,831
You know what? We can be gay
and we can still be cops.

548
00:42:15,300 --> 00:42:17,300
It works out fine.

549
00:42:17,302 --> 00:42:20,303
<i> That's what I have taken</i>
<i> from this events</i>

550
00:42:20,305 --> 00:42:22,105
<i> and what it has led me to be</i>