60-year-old Leo Medina arrested for allegedly setting an RV on fire on 29 Rd.
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - UPDATE (Jan. 30 at 1:30 p.m.): The arrest affidavit for Leo Medina has been provided by the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office.
The following information is according to the affidavit:
On Jan. 28, deputies with the sheriff’s office went to execute a search warrant and an arrest warrant on 60-year-old Leo Medina. They arrived at the reported location of Medina’s RV to find it had been removed from the property it was previously parked on. The RV was later located in the north east parking lot of Walmart located at 2881 North Ave. Deputies observed two individuals exiting the vehicle at Walmart, then Medina drove the RV to The Playaz Club located at 423 29 Rd. in Grand Junction.
Deputies say it is worth nothing Medina’s driving status was revoked at this time.
A number of deputy vehicles responded to Medina’s location to barricade the RV. The affidavit reads, “Several orders to exit the vehicle were made to [Medina] over the loudspeakers of the patrol cars. [Medina] was flipping off law enforcement and refusing to exit. [Medina] stated he had propane in the RV and he was going to blow us all up.” Medina refused to exit the vehicle for nearly two hours.
Deputies say it is also worth noting occupants in the business had to be evacuated from the structure due to Medina’s threats.
Additional deputies responded to this incident, as well as Grand Junction Police officers and both SWAT teams. SWAT decided to use a Bearcat, an armored vehicle, to remove the main door on the passenger side of the RV. As SWAT was breaking down the door, Medina lit the propane tank on fire engulfing the interior of the RV.
It is worth noting, several members of SWAT were near the RV at this time in the Bearcat and were at risk of being seriously burned.
Medina then removed himself from the RV and SWAT members grabbed him and placed him under arrest. Once in the back of the patrol vehicle, Medina attempted to spit on the two deputies who were in the front seat of the vehicle. Medina was then transported to the hospital to be treated for burns and then transported to the Mesa County Jail.
According to the arrest affidavit, Medina is facing the following charges of:
- Assault in the 2nd degree with intent to infect, injure, or harm another - 3 counts
- 4th degree arson - 7 counts
- Failure or refusal to leave premises or prop upon request of peace officer - 1 count
- Drove (motor/off-highway) vehicle when license under restraint (revoked) - 1 count
- Reckless endangerment - 1 count
- Resisting arrest - 1 count
- Obstructing peace officer, firefighter, ER medical service provider, rescue specialist, or volunteer - 1 count
- Possession, use, or removal of explosives or incendiary devices/possess of components thereof - 1 count
- Assault in the 1st degree on a peace officer threaten with deadly weapon - 16 counts
For more information, please visit crimewatch.net.
UPDATE (7:15 p.m.): A 60-year-old man is under arrest after holding law enforcement at bay for several hours. Leo Medina was wanted on several charges including Robbery, False Imprisonment, Assault in the Third Degree, and Theft $50-$300 M3. Mesa County Sheriff’s Office deputies located Medina driving an RV in the area of the North Ave and 29 Road. The RV stopped in the parking lot of a business on 29 Road near D ¼ Road. Deputies immediately approached the RV, but Medina, refused to come out.
The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team and the Grand Junction Police Department were called to assist. Medina made threats to deputies that he was going to start a fire. A Mesa County Sheriff’s Office crisis intervention team were able to negotiate with Medina and convince him to surrender as the trailer caught fire.
Deputies were able to pull Medina out of the burning RV. He was taken to the hospital with minor burns and placed under arrest for his previous charges. Charges from Fridays incident are pending. No one else was injured.
UPDATE (5 p.m.): 29 Road is back open as crews mop up the scene.
UPDATE (3:45 p.m.): The RV caught on fire, causing a lot of smoke in the area. Law enforcement officers were able to pull the suspect out of the RV as it was burning. Crews are working to put the fire out. The suspect, an adult male, is in custody. He was taken to the hospital to be treated for a minor burn.
UPDATE (3:15 p.m.): According to our crew on scene, 29 Road is now closed between D Road and D 1/2 Road as law enforcement activity continues in the area.
INITIAL ARTICLE: We have a crew on scene at 29 Road between D and D1/2 Roads where law enforcement has surrounded a motor home in the area. This has been happening since late Friday afternoon.
According to the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, the person in the motor home is wanted for third degree assault, robbery, false imprisonment and theft. The sheriff’s office says the incident he’s wanted for happened recently.
Deputies were following the motor home when it pulled into the parking lot of a building on 29 Road. The sheriff’s office tells us the Grand Junction Police Department is assisting at the scene, and SWAT has been called as well.
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