Aspen police blotter

ASPEN – Two roommates pleaded no contest to disorderly conduct Wednesday in Aspen Municipal Court after police allegedly caught them in a scuffle near the Rubey Park bus station.

Snowmass Village residents Craig Eugene Williams, 23, and Joshua Adam Garcia, 26, entered their pleas after being arrested Dec. 11. The two reportedly got in an altercation at Hunter Bar in downtown Aspen, continuing the donnybrook outside of the bus station, police said.

One of the defendants told Judge Brooke Peterson that they did not fight inside the bar, as police alleged, but outside of it.

---

---

“Whatever altercations or differences you had, they’re not to be settled outside of Hunter Bar or Rubey Park,” Peterson told the pair, who both work at Krabloonik Restaurant in Snowmass. “You wouldn’t want that to happen in your restaurant.”

Peterson issued a one-year deferred judgment to both defendants, which means if they stay out of trouble for the next year the incident will be erased from their records. Each was also fined $135 for probation fees and court costs.

---

---

Garcia and Williams indicated to the judge that they remain friends and have put the incident behind them.

In other muni-court developments, Aspen resident James DeFrancia, in a bench trial, was found guilty of violating a little-known law in the city of Aspen.

DeFrancia had been ticketed for parking his vehicle too close between two other cars parked in front of the Concept 600 building on Main Street. City code prohibits parallel parking a vehicle within 2 feet of another car.

“His vehicle was between two cars and was so close …” said community safety officer Gretchen Born, who ticketed DeFrancia, during the trial. “I couldn’t believe it. It’s one of the best parking jobs I’d ever seen.”

Police had to help one vehicle owner move her car because DeFrancia was parked so close.

DeFrancia pleaded not guilty to charge, and said he was unaware of the law and did not realize he impeded motorists’ ability to get out of the tight squeeze.

“I confess I was not aware there was a 2-feet requirement,” he told the judge. “It certainly was not intentional.”

Peterson ordered DeFrancia to pay $25 of a $50 fine, suspending half of it on the condition he doesn’t violate the code again.

In other Aspen police news:

Dec. 23, 9 p.m. – Officers contacted Brad Randell and Daniel Waters, both 48 and of Aspen, regarding a tree-trimming incident that occurred on Aug. 26. Randell was issued a municipal court summons for trespassing, injury to public/private property, and permit required for tree removal. Daniels was summoned for conspiring to violate the provision of a municipal code.

Dec. 24, 1:40 a.m. – Officers observed a minor disturbance on the Hyman Avenue mall. Jeremy Schaefer, 19, of Coral Springs, Fla., was arrested for underage possession of alcohol (18-20) and transported to Pitkin County Jail.

Dec. 25, 1:12 a.m. – Officers responded to a report of a disturbance at The St. Regis. Andres Blanco, 59, of Key Biscayne, Fla., was arrested for criminal mischief ($500 to $1,000) and transported to Pitkin County Jail.

Dec. 26, 2:05 a.m. – Officers responded to a report of an intoxicated male at The Palace. Tyler Anderson, 20, of Carbondale was arrested for underage possession of alcohol (18-20) and transported to Pitkin County Jail.

Dec. 26, 7:40 a.m. – Officers stopped Ryan Bennett, 30, of Aspen for a traffic violation. Bennett was arrested on an outstanding failure to appear warrant from Pitkin County and was transported to Pitkin County Jail.

Dec. 27, 2:19 a.m. – Officers stopped Ryan Cook, 37, of Aspen for a traffic violation. Cook arrested and transported to Pitkin County Jail, where he was charged with DUI, DUI per se, and traffic control device violation (illegal left-hand turn).

Dec. 27, 11 p.m. – Nicholas Consoldane, 24 of Aspen arrested and transported to Pitkin County Jail where he was charged with driving with license revoked (alcohol), expired registration, and failure to provide proof of insurance. The driving with license revoked for alcohol charge carries a mandatory $10,000 bond.

Dec. 30, 2:21 a.m. – William Ingram, 19, of Ovalo, Texas, was arrested for underage possession of alcohol (18-20) and transported to Pitkin County Jail.