Adams County prosecutors will not file charges against four officers who in November fatally shot a Boulder armed robbery suspect following a high-speed chase
Jason Leanard Mesaros, 36, died Nov. 10 near the intersection of U.S. 85 and 144th Avenue in Brighton.
Mesaros, who was from Loveland, was being chased by officers after he was identified as a suspect in a home-invasion robbery just west of Boulder in Sunshine Canyon.
Mesaros allegedly stole marijuana from a home there, authorities say.
“Applying the facts of this incident to the applicable law, the evidence does not support the filing of any criminal charges,” District Attorney Dave Young wrote in a letter announcing his decision.
Mesaros was spotted again the night of the robbery near Interstate 25 and Colorado 7 about 9 p.m. He fled from a traffic stop, at which point authorities say officers began pursuing him.
The chase ended in Brighton after a Colorado State Patrol trooper used maneuver to spin out the Ford F-350 pickup truck Mesaros’ was driving, according to the letter. Officers then surrounded the pickup.
Prosecutors say officers saw Mesaros point a silver handgun at his chin.
“As (Mesaros) moved around in the vehicle, the muzzle of the handgun appeared to drop and point in the officers’ direction,” the letter said.
The four officers then opened fire on Mesaros. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The officers who fired at Mesaros included two Adams County sheriff’s deputies, a Longmont police officer and a Colorado State Patrol trooper. Together, the group fired 21 rounds, the letter said.
Mesaros was found to have 11 gunshot wounds, including one to the chin that appeared to be self-inflicted but was not fatal, authorities say.
Investigators say they found a loaded silver .9 mm Ruger semi-automatic handgun near Mesaro’s body.
Jesse Paul: 303-954-1733, jpaul@denverpost.com or @JesseAPaul
