A Trooper Clocks a Truck at 102 MPH
Newly released records detail how a brief late-night pursuit west of Denver led investigators to arrest an off-duty Denver police officer more than a month after the chase, relying in part on detailed cellphone location data. The incident began around 11:30 p.m. on Oct. 23 along Highway 58 near Golden, when a Colorado State Patrol trooper recorded a Dodge Ram pickup traveling 102 mph in a 65 mph zone.
A Chase That Ended for Safety Reasons
The trooper activated lights and sirens and pursued the truck as it headed east toward Interstate 70 near Kipling Street in Wheat Ridge. Investigators say the driver accelerated further as the trooper closed in, with speeds staying near 90 mph and occasionally exceeding 100 mph. Given moderate traffic conditions, the trooper ended the pursuit due to safety concerns, but not before capturing a partial license plate and a description of the vehicle.
A Records Check Points to a Denver Officer
A records check using the partial plate led troopers to 29-year-old Christopher Thomas. When officers later waited near his home, Thomas allegedly noticed the police presence upon returning and drove off again to avoid contact. Once investigators identified Thomas as a Denver police officer, state patrol and Denver police looped in the department’s internal affairs unit.
A Voluntary Phone Check, Then a Warrant
Thomas later arrived at police headquarters driving the same pickup involved in the pursuit. He declined to answer questions but allowed investigators to manually examine his personal cellphone, a search that didn’t turn up usable evidence at the time. Investigators later obtained a warrant for his cellphone’s call detail records directly from his carrier. Those records, analyzed using specialized software, provided location and timing data that authorities say allowed them to estimate travel speeds and place Thomas along the pursuit route.
Arrest and Charges
Thomas was arrested Friday on suspicion of felony vehicular eluding creating a substantial risk of bodily injury, along with misdemeanor reckless endangerment. He was released the same day on a $5,000 bond.
Department’s Next Steps
Thomas, who joined the Denver Police Department in 2021 and was assigned to District 1, has been suspended without pay. He has not yet been formally charged and is scheduled to return to court Monday. The department says it plans to conduct its own administrative review once the criminal case concludes. As with any pending case, Thomas is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.