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Week of August 18, 2022
ARAPAHOE COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
SouthPlatteIndependent.net
VOLUME 77 | ISSUE 41
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 14 | LIFE: PAGE 16 | CALENDAR: PAGE 19
Crashes, pursuits highlight chase policy differences Douglas County, Littleton differ BY ROBERT TANN RTANN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
at ACC are heralding the excitement felt by Fuglei, with data showing a roughly 5% increase in enrolled students in early August compared to the same time in 2021, a difference of about 250 students. Numbers are still coming in almost every day and the percent increase is constantly changing,
At least five crashes have occurred in the City of Littleton since 2019 after police pursuits by Douglas County deputies who were following suspects, some of whom were believed to be in stolen vehicles, records requests and prior reporting show. The wrecks highlight stark differences between chase policies for the Littleton Police Department and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, with Douglas County granting officers more reasons to engage in a pursuit. The most recent case was July 29, when an allegedly stolen car pursued by Douglas County deputies ran a red light and caused a crash at the intersection of Santa Fe Drive and Bowles Avenue around 11:43 p.m. Other incidents include a crash in early December 2021 when Douglas County deputies pursued an allegedly stolen truck from unincorporated Douglas County before driving into the back of the vehicle and causing it to crash on Santa Fe Drive in Littleton. The driver, who ran onto the road and was hit by an officer driving to the scene, suffered injuries and was taken to a hospital.
SEE ENROLLMENT, P12
SEE POLICE, P8
The Arapahoe County eviction clinic, located on the third floor of the county building at 1690 W. Littleton Boulevard, is open PHOTO BY ROBERT TANN Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays between 8 and 11 a.m.
County eviction clinic faces high demand ‘We often have to turn people away’ BY ROBERT TANN RTANN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
When Girma Tsegay fled his worn-torn home of Ethiopia for Colorado with his three children
last year, the first thing he needed was a place to stay. He landed on an apartment in Aurora and — though the sounds of the loud highway outside gave a visceral reminder of the war back home — it was safe. “They made me sign a lot of papers, I didn’t know all the details but the only thing I wanted is a house to live with my kids,” Tsegay said.
Tsegay said he was always timely with his rent, which is about $2,500, until late May when he became sick with COVID-19. Tsegay said he told his landlord he would be a few days late getting her a check. He said he received assurance from her that it would be fine. But when he tried to pay his SEE EVICTIONS, P10
Arapahoe Community College sees increased enrollment Averaging better than other schools BY ROBERT TANN RTANN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Monica Fuglei is as busy as she’s ever been. An instructor at Arapahoe Com-
PRSRT - STD ECRWSS US POSTAGE PAID LITTLETON, CO PERMIT #70 EDDM POSTAL PATRON
munity College who also chairs the school’s English department, Fuglei is currently “building classes like mad” as she gears up for the fall semester, set to begin Aug. 22. “We’re finding we’re having to be a little more fluid and agile in terms of enrollment,” Fuglei said. “It brings new pressures, but they’re good pressures.” Increasing enrollment numbers
BACK TO SCHOOL
First-year teachers getting ready for 2022-23
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