ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. — A witness told deputies that he crashed his van into a suspect's car as the man attempted to flee from the scene of a deadly shooting in Arapahoe County on the morning of March 30, according to an arrest affidavit.
On March 30, emergency personnel responded to the 5200 block of S. Geneva Way — southwest of Cherry Creek Reservoir in the Hills West at Cherry Creek neighborhood — after receiving a report of shots fired around 8 a.m. The person who called 911 said a white SUV was involved and a person was running to the car. The caller said a van driver purposely crashed into the SUV to keep the suspect at the scene, according to an arrest affidavit.
Multiple similar calls came in reporting a similar situation.
According to the affidavit, the 911 dispatcher could hear two or three gunshots from the other line.
One person called to report that a woman had been shot and killed.
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The first deputy to arrive at the scene confirmed that a woman in the garage had a gunshot wound and was not conscious or breathing. She was identified as Tracy Lee Lechner, 42. She was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The white SUV was later found near E. Orchard Road and S. Havana Street — about one mile away. The driver, later identified as suspect David Samuel Lechner, 45, was taken into custody.
As he was being arrested, he said he had a handgun in the vehicle. Deputies found it in a bag in the passenger seat.
David Lechner was found with several stab wounds and was transported to a hospital, according to the affidavit.
According to the affidavit, he "spontaneously uttered" multiple statements about "only trying to protect his kids," how "he could not take it anymore" and how "his ex-wife had been abusing their kids for several years."
A witness at the scene spoke with deputies about the situation, saying he had been in the area for business and heard a commotion. He then saw Tracy Lee Lechner lying on the ground inside the garage and David Lechner standing nearby with a gun in his hand, according to the affidavit. He told deputies that he was standing near her torso and legs, held the gun a couple feet from her face and shot her.
David Lechner then ran to his car and the witness said he used his own van to crash into him to try to stop the suspect. However, David Lechner was able to keep driving.
After treatment at the hospital, David Lechner was taken into custody and transported to the Arapahoe County Justice Center.
He was booked into the Arapahoe County Detention Facility for first-degree murder, menacing - aggravated assault with a gun and domestic violence. Lechner is being held without bond.
