Parolee steals car with special needs teen inside

Posted: Mar 10, 2023 / 06:19 PM MST

Updated: Mar 10, 2023 / 09:27 PM MST

(SOUTHERN COLORADO) — The City of Fountain said a parolee who was released in 2022 stole a car with a special needs teen still inside on Friday, March 10, 2023, before leaving the teen on the street and leading police on a chase to Pueblo.

According to a press release from the City of Fountain, at 6:37 a.m. on Friday, officers with the Fountain Police Department (FPD) were in the area of northbound I-25 near the Pikes Peak International Raceway (PPIR) when they saw a car not maintaining its lane and driving with expired license plates.

Officer tried to pull the car over, and instead of stopping, the driver sped away. Due to safety concerns, the City of Fountain said officers called off pursuing the car.

About seven minutes later, officers found the car unoccupied at the 7-11 on South Santa Fe Avenue. While they were on the scene at the abandoned car, a report was made regarding a car that was being stolen from the 500 block of Royalty Place, which is less than a mile from the 7-11 store.

The caller reported that someone was stealing her car and her special needs teen was still inside it. The City said the suspect drove the stolen car a few hundred yards before yelling at the teen to get out of the car. The suspect then drove off, leaving the teen standing on the street, and headed for southbound I-25.

The City said the mother was quickly reunited with her child, who was unharmed.

A short time later, officers located the stolen car once again just north of PPIR, off I-25. When officer tried to stop the car, it once again sped away, this time almost hitting officers, the City said. The car continued south on I-25 toward Pueblo, and at this time officers determined the driver was the same suspect who they had previously tried to pull over on I-25.

The City said detectives with FPD’s Directed Investigation Community Engagement Team followed the car southbound on I-25 into Pueblo County and later into the City of Pueblo. With the help of deputies from the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) and officers with the Pueblo Police Department (PPD), the suspect was taken into custody.

The City said the man has been identified as 39-year-old Bryan Howay. The car Howay stole from the mother in Fountain was recovered and returned to her.

Howay had an active warrant for Parole Violation issued by the Colorado Department of Corrections (DOC) and an active misdemeanor warrant for traffic offenses out of El Paso County.

According to the City of Fountain, Howay was booked into the El Paso County Criminal Justice Center on numerous charges: