LOVELAND, Colo. — The Loveland Police Department is searching for a driver who was allegedly involved in two road rage shootings over the weekend.
According to the department, an officer spotted a Toyota Sequoia without a license plate parked at a business in the 100 block of South Taft Avenue around 12:08 p.m. Sunday. The vehicle then left the parking lot and headed eastbound on West 1st Street.
The officer attempted to pull over the vehicle in the area of West 1st St. and Sheridan Avenue. The driver stopped the vehicle near West 1st and Harrison Avenue but then took off as the officer was stepping out of the patrol vehicle, according to Loveland PD.
The driver stopped at a red light at the intersection of West 1st and South Lincoln Avenue. As the officer approached the intersection, the driver drove through the intersection and almost collided with a vehicle that was heading northbound, according to the department. Loveland PD said the officer did not pursue the vehicle "based on the erratic behavior of the suspect driver and public safety."
At 12:21 p.m., a woman called 911 and reported that a man in another vehicle shot at her Jeep Wrangler in the area of East Eisenhower Boulevard and Hahns Peak Drive. According to Loveland police, the description of the vehicle and driver matched the description of the vehicle and driver from the attempted traffic stop.
A few minutes later, a driver called 911 and reported that their vehicle had been shot at on Interstate 25 near mile marker 235 in Dacono. Loveland PD said the driver and vehicle descriptions also matched those from the attempted traffic stop.
Loveland PD identified the alleged driver as Justin Winter Vanpelt, 45. Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Vanpelt for two counts of attempted murder in the second degree, vehicular eluding, possession of weapons by a previous offender and illegal discharge of a firearm.
Authorities are currently searching for Vanpelt. He should be considered armed and dangerous, according to Loveland police. Anyone with information about Vanpelt's location or the incidents is asked to call the Loveland PD tip line at 970-962-2032 or Larimer County Crime Stoppers at 970-221-6868.
Loveland PD said a woman was in the vehicle with Vanpelt at the time shootings. Charges have not been filed against her as of the publication of this article. Denver7 is not releasing the woman's identity since charges have not been filed.
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