Man, woman lead police on 2 chases during crime spree
Colorado Springs police arrested a man Thursday suspected in a Bonnie-and-Clyde-style crime spree, car-jacking a taxi cab driver, robbing a fast-food restaurant and stealing another vehicle, all while leading police and sheriff’s deputies on a chase through the city and county.
The man, identified as Jonathan Gaide, 28, eventually ditched the second vehicle and tried to flee on foot in south Colorado Springs before he was tasered and arrested about 8:45 a.m. Police are searching for a woman who was said to be with him.
According to police, it all started about 7 p.m. Wednesday when a man and a woman car-jacked a minivan taxi near the intersection of Hillcrest Avenue and North Union Boulevard.
Nine hours later, about 4:15 a.m. Thursday, police said, the pair motored the stolen taxi through the drive-through at Carl’s Junior at 1890 S. Chelton Road. At the fast-food window, the man pointed a gun at the employee and demanded money. The employee returned with an undetermined amount of money, and the duo sped away.
Police began a chase but called it off when the cab began moving recklessly. The cab was eventually found in the Black Forest area.
Soon after, El Paso County Sheriff’s deputies got word that someone had broken into a home in the 7200 block of Silver Ponds Heights and stolen a purse and keys to a green Chevrolet Trailblazer.
The suspect jumped into the SUV and took off, triggering a chase that reached speeds of 100 mph. Again, police called off the chase because of safety concerns.
Luckily for police, the stolen SUV had GPS tracking through OnStar, and authorities were able to keep tabs on the vehicle by staying out of sight and traveling down parallel streets.
About 8:45 a.m. Thursday, police said, the SUV sped through a stop sign at the intersection of Ruskin Drive and Browning Avenue in south Colorado Springs. The SUV grazed a vehicle and blew out a couple of tires.
The driver pulled into an apartment complex and fled on foot. Police screamed at him to surrender, then subdued him with a stun gun.
After arresting Gaide, police linked him to Wednesday’s Bluffs Wine and Liquors robbery. In that incident, the store clerk was stabbed in the chest with such force that the knife blade broke off in the victim’s chest. The victim suffered serious injuries but was expected to recover.
Police are searching for the woman who accompanied the male suspect and aren’t sure if she was in the SUV when it stopped, police Sgt. Steve Noblitt said.
Noblitt said Gaide faces charges including aggravated robbery.
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