VAIL, Colo. – A man who reportedly stole a car at knife point in Vail’s Lionshead Village caused police to lock down the Vail Marriott Mountain Resort and a roughly three-block area on Friday night.
Contact7 Chief Investigative reporter Tony Kovaleski said the Eagle County Special Operations Team, equipped with assault rifles and military helmets and uniforms, was searching the area with flashlights.
Vail Police Sgt. Alex Iacovetto said the carjacking of a 2019 Chevy SUV happened at about 8:20 p.m. It’s unclear what happened shortly after, but he said the suspect quickly fled on foot, triggering the manhunt.
The suspect, later identified as Evan E. Reichert, 33, of Denver, crashed the SUV into a fence at the rear of the Ritz Carlton, near Forest Road and the South Frontage Road. As officers then chased Reichert on foot, he ran back into the Marriott where they lost contact with him, Vail police said in a news release.
A search of the Marriott was undertaken and Reichert was found at the rear of the Marriott near Gore Creek at 10:30 p.m. Guests of the Marriott were told to stay in their rooms or wait for the search to be completed. After the suspect was apprehended, all guests were able to return to the hotel.
There were no reported injuries.
The Vail police and fire departments had support from the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office, Avon Police Department and Colorado State Patrol.
