(COLORADO SPRINGS) — Two suspects who allegedly stole a catalytic converter were arrested on Monday, Jan. 16 after one of them barricaded himself inside an RV. The two have also been connected to a case from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office (EPSO), in which the suspects were found sleeping in a car wearing body armor, and ran from deputies.

Metro Fugitive detectives with the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) later identified the suspects as Aaron Miller and Darlene Griffith, who both had multiple felony warrants for their arrest.

Aaron Miller mugshot
Courtesy: El Paso County Sheriff’s Office
Darlene Griffith mugshot
Courtesy: El Paso County Sheriff’s Office

EPSO had previously shared images of Miller and Griffith, from a deputy’s body-worn camera during a stop on Jan. 10, and asked the community for help identifying them. EPSO said deputies originally approached a BMW SUV without license plates around 1 a.m. on Jan. 10 and found the two suspects asleep in the car.

The driver of the car was wearing what deputies said appeared to be ballistic body armor. When deputies tried to contact the two suspects, the driver started the car and drove forward through a chain link fence and through a business parking lot, causing damage to both the fence and the BMW, before leaving the area.

EPSO initially tried to chase the car, but terminated the chase due to safety concerns when the driver moved into oncoming lanes on Galley Road west of Powers Boulevard. EPSO then shared images of the two, asking for help identifying them.

Help identify two suspects who ran from deputies
Courtesy: El Paso County Sheriff’s Office

Almost a week later, on Jan. 16, Miller and Griffith were arrested after a person called the police regarding alleged catalytic converter thieves in an RV in the 1500 block of North Walnut Street, just west of I-25.

Griffith was followed by law enforcement as she left the RV in an SUV, and was taken into custody without incident. Miller, however, refused to leave the RV and barricaded himself inside for a short time, before CSPD said “chemical munitions” had to be used. Miller eventually surrendered and was taken into custody.

On Wednesday, Jan. 18, EPSO confirmed in a press release that Griffith and Miller had been positively identified as the two suspects who drove from them on the east side on Jan. 10.

According to EPSO, Miller and Griffith were both booked into the El Paso County Jail on numerous Felony, Misdemeanor, and traffic-related charges.