(SitNews) Lyons, Colorado - A resident of Ketchikan was arrested on Christmas Eve after Boulder County Colorado Sheriff's dputies allege he grabbed the steering wheel of a car driven by his wife multiple times in an attempt to cause a deadly crash.

On Saturday, December 24, at 4:15 p.m., Boulder County Colorado deputies were dispatched to Redstone Liquor in the Town of Lyons on the report of a disturbance. According to a news release, deputies arrived and met with Rodney David Burba Jr., 34, of Ketchikan, Alaska, and his 32-year-old wife who had called 911.

Through the ensuing investigation deputies reported they learned that the Burbas were in the metro area over the holidays when they decided to drive to Estes Park for the day. While the couple was traveling north of Lyons, Rodney became anxious and agitated, and consumed several pieces of edible marijuana gum. Rodney asked his wife to call the police, as he believed he was going to pass out, but she was unable to as there was no cell service in the area. At the time Rodney was riding as a passenger in the vehicle and his wife was driving.

As the couple attempted to returned toward Lyons, according to a news release, Rodney reportedly grabbed the steering wheel of the vehicle on multiple occasions, jerking it in an attempt to either cause a head-on collision with oncoming traffic, or to cause the vehicle to leave the shoulder of the roadway and drive over the side of a cliff.

Rodney's wife told deputies she tried to call 911 several times while returning to Lyons, but each time Rodney grabbed the phone out of her hands, or grabbed and jerked the steering wheel in an attempt to crash the vehicle. Mrs. Burba continued to Lyons to summon help, as she was aware there were very few areas with cell service in the canyon and she was scared to stop in a remote, unfamiliar location, out of cell range. Based upon the conversation and interactions in the vehicle, Mrs. Burba reported to deputies that she believed Rodney intended to try and kill them both through a head-on collision or by causing the vehicle to drive over a cliff.

Rodney was subsequently arrested and charged with Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, a class three felony; Obstruction of a Telephone, a class one misdemeanor; Reckless Endangerment, a class one misdemeanor; Littering, a petty offense; all with a foundation of domestic violence. Rodney remains in-custody at the Boulder County Jail, without bond, pending his first court appearance.

The charges levied against Rodney are allegations and he maintains the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. His first court date was scheduled for December 27th.

The Boulder County Colorado Sheriff's Department has asked anyone in the area of the North Saint Vrain Canyon on Christmas Eve that may have witnessed a white 2016 Chevy Cruze sedan driving erratically to contact sheriff's investigators at (303) 441-3650.

Editing by Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News:

Boulder County Colorado Sheriff's Department
http://www.bouldercounty.org/safety/sheriff/pages/default.aspx

 

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