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‘Loose cannon’ arrested after using racial epithets at Aspen bar

A local man with a history of police troubles was arrested twice Saturday, five days after a district judge let him out jail on his own recognizance.

This time, Brandon Tidrow — who’s previously been arrested for spitting on an officer and saying he had COVID-19 and taking off his clothes and singing in the middle of a local street — allegedly yelled racial epithets at a bar before police took him into custody, according to court records.

“Right now we’re in a period where something has come off the rails,” District Judge Chris Seldin said Monday during a court hearing for Tidrow. “This needs to be addressed so he doesn’t keep picking up more charges.”



Deputy District Attorney Don Nottingham urged Seldin not to release Tidrow, 33, on a personal recognizance bond again — which his public defender asked for Monday — because his behavior could easily lead to violence.

“Mr. Tidrow has shown himself to be something of a loose cannon,” Nottingham said. “At this point he’s shown himself to be dangerous to the community over and over and over again.”




Ashley Andrews, Tidrow’s lawyer, said she and others have been trying to get him treatment through the Veterans Administration — Tidrow is a former Marine — and are currently searching for a place that will accept him. She said the death of a close friend set him off this weekend.

“He had no one to reach out to,” Andrews said. “The allegations in this case are not particularly serious.”

Seldin on Monday ordered Tidrow held in jail on a $5,000 cash or surety bond.

Tidrow’s latest run-ins with police began about 1 p.m. Saturday, when an Aspen police officer was called to the W Hotel because Tidrow was trespassing, according to an arrest warrant affidavit filed in Pitkin County District Court. At the time, Tidrow was sober so he was cited and released.

Two hours later, police were called to Zane’s Tavern in downtown Aspen, where Tidrow admitted he’d been drinking alcohol, according to the affidavit. That is a felony violation of previous bail bond conditions and he was arrested.

A Zane’s bartender told police that Tidrow drank one beer, ordered another, then told people he was a veteran and began yelling in the bar. When the bartender asked him to leave, he cursed at the man and used racial epithets, the affidavit states. A customer at the bar who witnessed the outburst told police the same story.

Tidrow also was arrested in late May after allegedly breaking into a friend’s apartment at 4 a.m., taking a shower and falling asleep in the bathroom, according to another arrest warrant affidavit filed in district court. The person who lives in the home is the subject of a protection order and Tidrow is not allowed to contact the person.

He was charged with burglary and violating a protection order in that case. Seldin allowed him out of jail Monday on a personal recognizance bond. In response to Saturday’s arrest, he was charged with two counts of violating a protection order, two counts of violating bail bond conditions, trespassing and disorderly conduct.

Tidrow was arrested in March 2020 after allegedly spitting in an officer’s eye and saying he was infected with COVID-19. He also allegedly spit on nearby surfaces, licked his fingers and attempted to rub his hands on skiers waiting in line at Gondola Plaza in Aspen. He fought with officers before he was arrested at that time.

In June 2018, Tidrow took off his clothes in front of adults and children at Herron Park while playing in the Roaring Fork River, then walked up to Original Street and stood in the middle of the road signing gospel songs until he was arrested.

Crime


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