Denver pedestrian dies after being dragged by vehicle; suspect held

A 28-year-old man is being held on suspicion of second-degree murder after he allegedly caused another man's death early Monday morning in southeast Denver.

When officers arrived, they found Jeremy Lewis and the victim, police said. Lewis was driving the vehicle involved, according to police. The victim was declared dead at the scene.

Police said Lewis and the victim knew one another and had gotten into an argument. The victim tried to get into Lewis' vehicle as he was driving away, police said.

The victim was then dragged by the vehicle before falling into the road, DPD said.

Lewis was being held in the Denver Detention Center under $50,000 bond, according to jail records.

Authorities arrested 13 individuals they alleged to be part of a crime ring that had been allegedly distributing fentanyl and other drugs.

Authorities said they also seized 8 pounds of fentanyl, 32 pounds of meth and 3 pounds of cocaine, in addition to 28 firearms, some with serial numbers removed.

The Northern Colorado Drug Task Force — made up of the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Collins Police Services, Loveland Police Department, Windsor Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration — completed an investigation into a crime ring that began in the summer of 2023, authorities said.

The task force identified a "large regional network of suspects affiliated with international drug cartel operations," according to a press release from the Larimer County Sheriff's Office.

“I am so proud of everyone who worked tirelessly to bring this investigation to a positive conclusion. Any reduction of fentanyl that is coming into our communities has the potential to save a life,” Lt. Mark Hertz, commander of the regional task force, said in a news release.

After the 8th Judicial District Attorney's Office filed charges, 11 different residences in connection to the ring were searched, authorities said.

Authorities said the 13 suspects were arrested on multiple charges of money laundering and patterns of racketeering under the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act, among other charges.

Detectives are still searching for two suspects, Lissbeth Juarez-Marquez and Jose Gil-Ochoa.

After heated discussion Monday night, Aurora city council finalized two ordinances making the penalties for retail theft and "dine and dash" crimes harsher.

Supporters of the ordinances finalized Monday night said strengthening the penalties and adding more stipulations would deter crime and make Aurora a more desirable place to own a business.

Opponents say the ordinances will cost the city a significant amount more money and not actually deter crime.

The number of retail theft cases in Aurora increased between 2022 and 2023, showing that instances of theft did not go down when the 2023 ordinance to impose a mandatory minimum sentence was passed, Aurora Police Department data shows.

In 2023, the APD reported 1,702 instances of larceny shoplifting, or retail theft. In comparison, the department reported 1,256 cases in 2022.

The first of the two ordinances finalized Monday lowers the threshold that qualifies someone for the mandatory sentence from $300 to $100 in stolen goods and adds provisions for increased jail time of 90 days minimum for repeat offenders.

The second of the two ordinances applies mandatory minimum sentences on "dine and dash"-type crimes, imposing the mandatory minimum three-day sentence for "defrauding a public establishment," or not paying after dining, in the amount of $15 or more.

At Monday night's council meeting, Councilmember Alison Coombs said neither of the ordinances contained a fiscal note, which is required for ordinances by the council rules.

Coombs called on the council to push off the finalization of the ordinances until they could get a fiscal note, but city staff rebutted that it would be difficult to determine the exact cost since they can't predict the number of people who would commit crimes under the ordinance.