Armed Robber Hits GJ Bank, On The Run Now From Police

By Matt Kroschel

Police are investigating a bank robbery that happened late Tuesday morning in Grand Junction.

Authorities say just after 10:30, a man entered the U.S. Bank on F Road near the Mesa Mall. He showed a note indicating that he had a weapon and demanded money.

Police say he took an undisclosed amount of cash before running north from the bank. Nobody was injured during the incident.

Authorities are looking at surveillance video for possible leads.

The suspect is described as a white male with a thin build and short brown hair. He was last seen wearing a red shirt, tan pants or shorts, and a khaki cap with a logo.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact Crimestoppers at 241-STOP.

MORE ON THIS STORY AT http://www.krextv.com/

If you have a newstip or story idea call 242-5000 for the newsroom!

Kannah Creek Fire "Pretty Much Contained"

By Matt Kroschel



Firefighters may have gained the upper hand on a wildfire burning on the west face of the Grand Mesa. Around 125 firefighters are battling the Kannah Creek blaze, which has grown to more than 40 acres.

Fire officials say right now, the fire has died down, but they are continuing to set up control lines around the burn area, but no structures or resources are threatened at this point.

A special hotshot crew from Craig was called in to help on Monday, and they're also fighting the fire from the air with helicopters.

Officials say the chance for the fire to burn downhill towards homes is very low.

The fire moved fast, and we got crews on the ground and working. Right now the fire is pretty benign, said BLM Public Affairs Specialist Tom Alvarez

Kannah Creek Trail and trails leading to Carson Lake are closed.

A lightning strike is thought to be what started the fire.

More at http://www.krextv.com/

Arrests Made in North Avenue Taco Bell Deadly Mass Shooting

By Matt Kroschel

Police have identified four suspects involved in a deadly shooting outside the North Avenue Taco Bell July 16. The same group of suspects are also linked to two armed robberies and a burglary that took place in Grand Junction earlier in the same day.

Lester Miranda-Davis is being held in the Mesa county Jail while another suspect is in a California jail. Two other men are on the run from police tonight.

Lester Miranda-Davis (DOB: 08-26-92) is currently being held in the Mesa County Jail on the charges listed below.

Christian Fuentes (DOB: 06-01-91) is currently in custody in California on unrelated charges. He also has a GJPD warrant for the charges listed below in connection with our investigation.

Warrants have also been issued for two other suspects, Jaime Cardenas (DOB: 08-14-91) and Fidel Silva (DOB: 05-19-87), who are currently at large, however we have reason to believe they have left Colorado.

The courts have sealed the case.

Police say It is important for the community to know that we believe the four incidents that took place last Saturday were all committed by the same group of suspects. Moreover, we currently believe that the suspects are either in custody or currently out of our area. Detectives are working closely with other law enforcement partners to locate the two suspects who are still outstanding.

If anyone has additional information about this incident or the whereabouts of the two suspects still at large they can call the Grand Junction Police Department at 242-6707, call Crime Stoppers at 241-STOP, send the information via the web at www.241stop.com, or text CRIMES to 241STOP and include your tip information.

FULL LIST OF CHARGES BELOW:


Lester Miranda-Davis: 1st deg.burglary, felony theft, aggravated robbery, felony menacing (3
counts), theft, 1st deg. Murder, attempted 1st deg. Murder (2 counts), 1st deg. Assault (3
counts)

Christian Fuentes: 1st deg. Burglary (2 counts), felony theft (2 counts), aggravated robbery (2
counts), felony menacing (5 counts), misdemeanor theft, 1st deg. Murder, attempted 1st
deg. Murder (2 counts), 1st deg. Assault (3 counts)

Jaime Cardenas: 1st deg. Burglary (2 counts), felony theft (2 counts), aggravated robbery (2
counts), felony menacing (5 counts), misdemeanor theft, 1st deg. Murder, attempted 1st
deg. Murder (2 counts), 1st deg. Assault (3 counts)

Fidel Silva: 1st deg. Burglary (2 counts), felony theft (2 counts), aggravated robbery (2 counts),
felony menacing (5 counts), misdemeanor theft, 1st deg. Murder, attempted 1st deg.
murder (2 counts), 1st deg. Assault (3 counts)


More at www.krextv.com

Mesa County Sheriff Has Tough Words For Dog The Bounty Hunter

The day after famous Dog the Bounty Hunter brought in a wanted man and turned him over to the Sherriff's office, Mesa County Sheriff Stan Hilkey turned to his blog to relate his frustration about the entire incident.

Hilkey wrote on his blog, "Drama is easy to create and capture in this business. Fine, do your thing and move on to the next revenue-generating activity. What happened inside the lobby though is what is most troubling to me. While Dog stayed outside, shirtless and sweaty, prancing back and forth waving his golden locks for the camera, his team brought this freshly pepper-sprayed fellow into the enclosed space of the Sheriff’s Office lobby with other citizens present. They also brought him in injured."

To read more from the Sheriff in his own words go to this link. http://www.mesacoloradosheriff.com/

SUV Slams into Grand Junction Home, Young Girl Pinned Inside

A driver overshoots an intersection and ends up plowing into a Grand Junction home, narrowly missing a family inside. It all happened Wednesday afternoon around 3:30 on Melody Lane behind the North Avenue Walmart.

Police say they're investigating why SUV's driver was not able to stop when he was leaving the store's parking lot.

A young girl was partially pinned in the house by debris, but a washer and dryer in the front part of the house took the brunt of the impact and stopped the vehicle.

The homeowners were in the process of remodeling their home at the time of the crash.

Police say the driver is looking at reckless driving charges. There is no word on if alcohol or drugs were factors in the crash.         

--Matt Kroschel

UPDATE: Dog The Bounty Captures Wanted Man in Mesa County

NewsChannel Five cameras caught up with Dog the Bounty Hunter and his camera crews at the Mesa County Jail today after they delivered a wanted man to authorities. The man was maced during the incident. 

I have spoken to a local bailbonds company how have told me they hired Dog to help catch a wanted man, but won't confirm if he is in fact here right now.

http://www.krextv.com/

--Matt Kroschel

Thunderstorms Pummel Grand Valley



B Road, Orchard Mesa. --Matt Kroschel photo



By Matt Kroschel

A storm slams the Grand Valley, letting loose a lightning strike in an Orchard Mesa Neighborhood.

It happened this afternoon around 3-30 in the 27-hundred block of B Road over in Orchard Mesa.
According to witnesses a huge bolt struck a tree knocking out power to a few homes in the area. The house sits one block away from the Mesa County Fairgrounds and with hundreds of people at the event it was a mad dash to find cover from the storm.


http://www.krextv.com/ upload your weather pics here!

Officials at the fairgrounds had to shutdown the fair area for about a half hour as the storm rolled through.
They say the wet weather might actually prove beneficial because it will settle the dust in the area.