Dogfight results in man getting arrested on suspicion of felony menacing

An Old Snowmass resident was arrested on suspicion of felony menacing and two misdemeanor charges Monday after a dogfight on public land got out of hand, according to the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office.

Robert Guion, 72, allegedly discharged a handgun into the air after becoming upset that another man’s dog attacked his golden retriever, according to an incident report.

Guion was walking with his wife and their two golden retrievers on U.S. Forest Service land along the Roaring Fork River on a bench below Crown Mountain Park about 3:30 p.m. when they encountered another dog walker.

There are different versions about how the dogfight unfolded.

The alleged human victim of the altercation, a 54-year-old man with a Carbondale address, said he stepped off the trail to let the Guions and their dogs pass. One of his two dogs, a mixed breed, and one of the golden retrievers “started to fight,” the man said.

“He grabbed his dog and was trying to separate them when the man (Guion) threatened to shoot his dog,” said an incident report by an investigating Eagle County deputy sheriff. “After he separated the dogs, one of the witnesses nearby told the man that he could not shoot the dog. The man then pulled out a handgun and fired one round into the air and yelled ‘he can shoot whatever he wants.'”

Another party in the area called authorities and deputies responded immediately and walked down to the popular trail. They encountered the alleged victim, who had walked away from the scene of the altercation. He told a deputy he was “scared for his life and that he or his dog might be killed.”

While a deputy talked to the alleged victim, he saw Guion walking on the trail and asked to talk to him.

“Robert told me that he was walking on the trail near the river at Crown Mountain Park when his dog was attacked by a large, mixed breed dog,” the report said. “The large dog was biting his dog in the neck and attacked his dog twice.

“I then asked Robert if he had a gun on him and he stated ‘no.’ I then asked him if I could pat him down for my safety and he stated ‘yes.’ I patted Robert down for any weapons and did not locate any.”

With the assistance of Basalt police officers, the deputy had Guion and the alleged victim walk back to a parking lot, where officers further tried to sort through the stories. Guion’s wife, who had departed to get a vehicle and pick him up, confirmed to a deputy that they were walking their dogs when a large, mixed-breed dog made repeated attacks on one of their golden retrievers.

The deputy asked Guion’s wife if her husband carried a gun and she confirmed he did, according to the report. She said he fired one round into the ground shortly after the dogfight.

The deputy went back to Guion, who admitted he had been carrying a Bersa .380 semi-automatic handgun and had fired a round into the ground.

“I asked him why he fired a gun into the ground and he stated that he was stupid,” the report said. “I then asked Robert where was his gun was and he told me that he threw it in the river. I then asked him why he lied to me and again he stated that he was stupid.”

At the request of the deputy, Guion showed law enforcement officials where he tossed the gun into the middle of the Roaring Fork River. He had a permit to carry the firearm. Back at the parking area, Guion was placed under arrest for felony menacing, disorderly conduct and reckless endangerment. Guion was taken to Eagle County Jail. He was released Monday evening after posting $2,500 bond. Guion is scheduled to appear in Eagle County Court on Jan. 19.

scondon@aspentimes.com