DENVER – A man accused of stealing and crashing an RTD bus before allegedly stealing and crashing another vehicle in Denver on Monday has been charged with nearly ten counts in connection with the crime.
Solomon David Garcia, 36, reportedly walked into an RTD bus that had come to a stop in the southbound lanes of N. Federal Boulevard, telling the driver he had a gun and demanding he get off the bus, before forcing the driver out of the seat and off the bus before driving it southbound, according to a probable cause statement.
About ten minutes later, Garcia allegedly crashed the bus at W. 6th Avenue Frontage Road and N. Lowell Boulevard. He left the bus and went to a nearby home, where he demanded car keys from a resident. He told the resident that he had a gun was going to kill the person. After a fight with the resident, Garcia ran away, arresting documents show.
Garcia then allegedly approached a third person, who was in the driver’s seat of a white Hyundai Santa Fe in the westbound lanes on W. 6th Avenue Frontage Road. He opened the driver’s side door and told the woman that he’d kill her if she didn’t get out of the car, according to the probable cause statement. The woman got out of the seat and Garcia stepped in and started driving westbound on the road.
Just after 6:30 p.m. Monday, police responded to a two-vehicle crash at N. Sheridan Boulevard and W. 1st Avenue that involved the Hyundai. They identified Garcia in the front seat and he was detained without incident. Police said he was not armed.
The suspect was charged Thursday by the Denver District Attorney with two counts of endangering public transportation, two counts of aggravated robbery, two counts of first-degree aggravated motor vehicle theft, one count of criminal attempted to commit aggravated robbery, and one count of criminal attempt to commit second-degree burglary.
