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Week of August 18, 2022
JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 10 | LIFE: PAGE 12 | CALENDAR: PAGE 15 | SPORTS: PAGE 16
VOLUME 18 | ISSUE 9
Arvada Firefighters Car Fest raises Man charged with thousands for Arvada Fire Protection District stalking, harassing and attempting to influence Municipal Judge Kurtz Clayton Scott Smith indicted for acts committed between December 2021 and July 2022 BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A family gathering at the Arvada Firefighters Car Fest. BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Around 160 cars ranging from a 1969 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia to a 1933 Ford were on display on Aug. 7 at Stenger Sports Complex for a good cause — the annual Arvada Firefighters Car Fest. This year’s car fest brought in an estimated $6,000 for Friends of Arvada Fire, a nonprofit that supports the Arvada Fire Protection District. Dennis Giullan won the People’s Choice award for his purple 1933 Ford Street Rod while Sheridan Graham won the Classic category for his black 1950 Pontiac Chieftain. Vice President of the Arvada Fire Board of Directors Bob Loveridge said he was happy with how the event went and has been progressing over the years. “Someone told me that the thing they love about this car show is that SEE FEST, P2
One of the classic cars at the Arvada Firefighters Car Fest.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ARVADA FIRE
An Arvada man was taken into custody July 26 on charges that he stalked, harassed and attempted to influence Arvada Municipal Court Judge Kathryn Kurtz over an eight-month period. Clayton Scott Smith, 30, was charged with four felonies and three misdemeanors: Retaliation Against a Judge, Attempt to Influence a Public Servant, Stalking, Harassment, two counts of Carrying a Concealed Weapon and Obstructing a Peace Officer. A status hearing was held Aug. 2 and a preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 23, with First Judicial District Court Judge Mark Marrow Randall presiding. Court records state that Kurtz was assigned a case that Smith was involved in, and Smith threatened Kurtz through violence or bribery in an effort to influence Kurtz’s decision. According to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Smith’s last arrest was in 2016, when he was charged with failing to appear in court for a smoking violation. Smith was charged with harassing and stalking Kurtz and a number of people with whom Kurtz is associated. He was charged with Obstructing a Peace Officer during his July 26 arrest. The responding officer was Arvada Police Officer Sterling Boom. Arvada Police Department Public Information Officer Dave Snelling credited Smith’s alleged ongoing harassment of Kurtz to changing Jefferson County Jail policies on holding inmates in the wake of COVID-19. “Due to the last couple of years of inability to jail people, some think they can act with complete impunity,” Snelling said. Snelling added that Kurtz and the rest of the municipal court staff are “secure.” “We’ve taken a lot of measures to secure the municipal court and the court staff, including full-time contracted security,” Snelling said. Kurtz could not be reached for comment.