Juan Barreneche, a 37-year-old resident of Riveira Beach, Florida, found himself in a whirlwind of events on Monday. His day began in a Morgan County, Colorado jail cell, following his arrest on Sunday evening for alleged trespassing at a local hotel. However, by 4:00 am on Monday, Barreneche had managed to post a $1,000 personal recognizance bond and was released.
His freedom was short-lived. Fort Morgan police report that around 5 am, Barreneche approached a truck driver, seemingly at random, and requested a ride. When the driver declined, Barreneche assaulted him and seized his keys. Despite the attack, the driver was able to leap into the bed of his truck as Barreneche drove off, and he promptly dialed 911 to report the incident.
The situation escalated as Barreneche reportedly attempted to evade police across Northeast Colorado, reaching speeds of up to 108 mph. Law enforcement resorted to deploying stop sticks to deflate the vehicle’s tires, leading to Barreneche’s arrest between the towns of Otis and Yuma.
The police reported that the truck owner was not “seriously injured,” but they emphasized that the incident “could have been much worse given Barreneche’s driving behavior.”
In a statement to the Denver Post, Police Chief Loren Sharp expressed his frustration, stating, “It is always disheartening to see individuals with repeated law enforcement contact released from the detention center only to commit crimes against persons a short time later.”
Barreneche is currently being held without bond on multiple charges, including robbery, second-degree aggravated motor vehicle theft, reckless endangerment, and assault. As of now, he has not been charged with kidnapping, as it remains unclear whether he was aware that the truck’s owner was in the vehicle when he fled.