WALSENBURG, COLO. -- Three fugitives from Florida who were thought to have been spotted in Colorado Springs Tuesday were arrested Wednesday morning after a high speed chase that ended in a crash south of Pueblo.
Colorado State troopers confirmed the Dougherty siblings, 21-year-old Ryan, 26-year-old Dylan and 29-year-old Lee Grace, were all taken into custody Wednesday morning following a short vehicle pursuit that started near mile marker 74 on I-25 and ended near mile marker 52, about seven miles north of Walsenburg.
The Dougherty's car, a white Subaru Impreza thought to have been spotted in Colorado Springs Tuesday, was spotted at a camp ground on Highway 165 near Colorado City. Pueblo County Sheriff's deputies responded, but the car had left before they arrived. A deputy then spotted the car at mile marker 74, which is when the chase began.
The car the trio was driving flipped over during the chase after hitting a "stop stick". Troopers said Lee Grace shot at them after the crash, but no authorities were injured. A trooper returned fire, hitting her in the leg.
All three siblings were taken to an area hospital with non life-threatening injuries.
"Ladies and gentleman, I'm proud to say we won," Pasco County, Fla. Sheriff Chris Nocco said at a news conference following their capture. "We continuously said that if these three fugitives wanted a battle with law enforcement, we would win that battle. And that's what happened today."
He called the siblings "very, very dangerous people" and their capture a tremendous relief.
"This gang was very willing to engage in a firefight. Shots were fired at pursuing vehicles in Colorado, just like in other states, luckilty no law enforcement officers or citizens were harmed," , Federal Bureau of Investigations special agent Phil Niedringhaus said at a news conference at the Pueblo County Jail.
The Dougherty siblings' mother, Barbara Bell of East Palatka, Fla., spoke briefly with The Associated Press on the phone Wednesday.
"I'm sorry. I'm making no comment at this time. Bye," Bell, who last week had urged the trio to give up before there was bloodshed, said.
The three Florida fugitives are connected to crimes including a bank robbery and firing at least 20 shots at a police officer who tried to pull them over for speeding in a chase that got up to speeds of 100 mph.
Hours later, three people wearing masks robbed a bank in Valdosta, Ga., about 210 miles north. One robber brandished an AK-47 assault rifle while another was photographed by a security camera waving a machine pistol, the FBI said.
Ryan has 14 felonies arrests on his record.
A weeklong nationwide search for trio had earlier shifted to Colorado, where authorities said they believe the trio made a purchase at an outdoors store and could be headed to a campground or rural area to try to avoid capture.
The Doughertys were allegedly spotted near Woodmen Road and I-25 in Colorado Springs Tuesday afternoon.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this story.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKXRM