A 23-year-old man was arrested Monday morning, after driving recklessly through Rocky Mountain National Park on Sunday.
According to CBS News, the man in question was an apparent burglary suspect, and his driving caused a serious car accident in Estes Park. The suspect, who has been identified as Wayde Thyfault, is from Hudson. He was last seen Sunday, as he ran toward a neighborhood, while on the run, before his arrest was captured on Monday in the High Drive area, outside the park itself.
Law enforcement's pursuit of Thyfault started at the western entrance of the park. There, Thyfault was speeding as he went through the Grand Lake entrance, which prompted law enforcement to shortly chase him, in an effort to pull the vehicle over. Thyfault began to swerve in and out of vehicles and increased his speed. As a result, law enforcement pulled back from their efforts, due to the dangerous nature of the chase.
On the eastern side of the park, law enforcement prepared to make contact again with Thyfault near the Deer Mountain Trailhead. Preparations were also made at the Beaver Meadows entrance, where they used stopsticks. Eventually, Thyfault's car collided with another, just passed the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center. Reportedly, all three individuals in that vehicle were injured, with one passenger's injuries being described as "critical."
After the crash, Thyfault ran toward houses on High Drive in Estes Park. A shelter-in-place order was made, while cops searched Estes Park for the suspect. The order was lifted Monday morning, once Thyfault was finally detained. Notably, Thyfault is believed to also be wanted in an unsolved Grand County burglary case.
Man Arrested in Estes Park After Causing Serious Crash in National Park
Thyfault's arrest at Rocky Mountain National Park was not the first newsworthy moment the park has endured this summer. According to the National Park Service, a 21-year-old woman died on August 12th when she fell approximately 300 feet. The woman was descending in the Flying Dutchman couloir when she fell.
Regardless of recent tragedies, Rocky Mountain National Park is certainly beautiful this time of year, and visitor numbers will stay strong as the beauty of fall in the mountains takes hold.
