A Boulder County Deputy was charged with two counts of vehicular assault after crashing into a passenger vehicle in August.
Boulder County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Daniel Pratt was responding to an emergency at the Boulder County Fairgrounds on Aug. 12. As Pratt was driving along Highway 119 toward Longmont he struck a Prius heading east toward Niwot, according to a news release from the Boulder County Sheriff’s Department.
The two individuals in the struck vehicle suffered serious injuries and were taken to a local hospital.
Pratt and his K9 partner were examined for injuries but none were discovered.
Pratt was charged with two counts of vehicular assault, which is a Class 5 felony based on the speed of the vehicles, the red traffic light, the right of way, the sheriff’s office policy for activating lights and sirens, eyewitness testimony and the sheriff’s office policy for approaching a red traffic light while running emergent, according to a news release from the Boulder County District Attorney’s office.
An interval investigation is still underway, which will determine any disciplinary action that needs to occur. As of now, “Deputy Pratt is on administrative leave, without pay, pending the conclusion of the criminal case,” the news release reads.
“I appreciate the thorough investigation by the Colorado State Patrol. This crash was incredibly scary, and the victims were seriously injured,” District Attorney Michael Dougherty said.
Pratt will appear in court on Feb. 17 on the felony summons.
