Accident – Death – Obituary News :

Man Arrested in Rural Colorado After Fatal Shooting Over Property Dispute

DENVER – In a shocking turn of events, a man has been apprehended by authorities after evading capture for one day. The suspect, identified as Hanme K. Clark, 45, is accused of fatally shooting three individuals and critically injuring another following a long-standing property dispute over the use of an easement on the suspect’s rural property in Colorado.

The Custer County sheriff’s office in Colorado announced Tuesday afternoon that New Mexico State Police had successfully arrested Clark. The tragic shooting incident occurred on Monday afternoon on the property of one of the victims, merely a week after a local landowner requested legal action against Clark for allegedly violating a June 2022 court order that granted them access to their land by crossing the suspect’s property. The incident took place in the southern part of the state, approximately 50 miles southwest of Colorado Springs.

According to Kevin Flesch, an attorney representing one of the defendants who lost their easement access, Clark had also been accused of obstructing the easement by locking a gate and posting a sign stating, “the owner of this property is armed.” Easements, which are legal rights allowing passage through someone else’s land, are often crucial in rural American communities.

The victims have been identified as Rob Geers, Beth Wade, and James Daulton, as confirmed by the Custer County sheriff’s office. The fourth victim, Patty Daulton, is currently receiving treatment at a trauma center.

Custer County Sheriff Lloyd Rich Smith revealed that the property dispute had brought sheriff’s deputies to the location on multiple occasions over the past few years. However, there were no previous indications that the dispute would escalate to such violence, Smith added.

As per Smith, the suspect was a co-owner of a business called Herbal Gardens Wellness, which claims dedication to promoting health and well-being through the use of herbal remedies.

The shooting occurred in a wooded area along the property line on Monday afternoon, prompting authorities to respond to Rocky Ridge Road, approximately 8 miles from the county seat of Westcliffe. Fortunately, one witness managed to escape and provide crucial information to law enforcement.

In their efforts to capture the suspect, authorities conducted an extensive search of the surrounding woods and nearby structures, utilizing night vision equipment. Even after receiving reports of Clark’s truck being spotted about 58 miles away, law enforcement continued their search in the area to ensure the suspect had not returned to the scene.

However, subsequent investigations suggest that Clark had already fled the area before deputies arrived at the scene, Sheriff Smith confirmed.

In response to the ongoing manhunt, residents in a section of Chaffee County were advised to shelter in place after a surveillance camera detected Clark’s truck at a Walmart in Salida, approximately 50 miles northwest of Westcliffe. Following an overnight search involving drones, a Denver police helicopter, and officers on the ground, the Chaffee County sheriff’s office has now stated that it is likely Clark has left the area. Consequently, the shelter in place order has been lifted.

The property dispute at the heart of this tragic incident centered around an easement granting several individuals access to their respective properties through land owned by Herbal Gardens Wellness. Clark had filed a lawsuit contesting the easement, but the court had resolved the matter in June 2022 by upholding the rights of the area landowners to access their properties through the suspect’s land, according to attorney Kevin Flesch.

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