A Denver man who allegedly attempted to elude police was arrested on multiple charges following an extensive, multiple-agency search in the San Miguel River canyon area in southwest Colorado. He was accompanied by a female from Grand Junction at the time of the pursuit, though she was later released from custody.

According to the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office, 47-year-old Bruce Seagrave was allegedly driving “extremely recklessly,” pushing about 100 miles per hour on Highway 145 at Norwood Hill at about 10 AM on Sunday. Authorities pursing the vehicle terminated the chase around mile marker 92 due to safety concerns. The vehicle, which had been stolen in October in Wheatridge, had been last seen heading toward the Placerville area at the time.

Responding deputies soon again located the vehicle, which had been abandoned and hidden behind a dirt pile in a large pullout near mile marker 91.

“We don’t stop for the police,” read a handwritten note found inside the stolen vehicle.

A K-9 unit was brought in to follow snow tracks of the two fugitives, which headed into the woods through steep terrain north of the highway. An SMSO drone was also deployed in the search. 

Suspected to be armed during the time of the pursuit, officials think that the male suspect ditched a handgun in terrain where cliffs are present.

Various items were found scattered along their trail, including car keys and drug paraphernalia that indicated that the fugitives may have been injecting drugs while fleeing the scene. Officials believe this may have been done for “extra energy.”

After several hours of tracking, snow tracks indicated the team must be getting close, as signs indicated that the fugitives had started to run.

The two suspects were spotted and apprehended at about 3:00 PM following a short foot pursuit.

Bruce Seagraves of Denver, 47, was arrested Sunday afternoon for outstanding warrants and charged with Vehicular Eluding, 1st Degree Aggravated Motor Vehicle Theft, and several other charges. His companion, a 37-year-old female from Grand Junction, was also taken into custody but later released.

Sheriff Masters says, “I really have to thank the citizens that called in and reported seeing the suspects as they were being pursued by the State Patrol, the outstanding work by our partner, Norwood Marshal Wilkerson and the ‘never-give-up attitude of our Deputy Sheriffs – we all made a good team.”

The multi-agency effort included the Colorado State Patrol (CSP), San Miguel Sheriff’s Office (SMSO), Montrose County Sheriff’s Office, Norwood Marshal, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and BLM law enforcement.

Highway 145 travels from Naturita to Cortez through the Telluride area.