A Longmont man was arrested after reportedly forcing a woman into her vehicle in Niwot and driving her to Longmont, where she was able to escape the vehicle.
Abel Emmanuel Verdugo Felix, 31, was arrested Sunday on charges of second-degree kidnapping, robbery, third-degree assault, violation of a restraining order, vehicular eluding, resisting arrest, obstructing law enforcement, careless driving, reckless endangerment, felony menacing with a simulated weapon, first-degree assault on law enforcement with a weapon, leaving the scene of an injury accident, driving without insurance, driving without a license and failing to report an injury accident.
He remains in custody at the Boulder County Jail with bond set at $100,000. However, he is not eligible to post bond because he violated his probation on a previous offense.
According to an arrest affidavit, about 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Longmont police responded to a call for assistance from the Boulder County Sherriff’s Office in locating a reported missing vehicle believed to be involved in a domestic dispute in the 7900 block of Niwot Road in Niwot. The sheriff’s office told Longmont police the woman who owned the vehicle had been “struck” by the suspect before he took off with her vehicle.
According to the affidavit, the woman told police she had just finished working and was in her car turning it on when Verdugo Felix approached her vehicle and began to punch her multiple times in her face as she got out to speak to him. He then got into her vehicle and left.
She then went back inside her workplace to call police, the affidavit states. Shortly after she saw Verdugo Felix return in her car and almost hit a pedestrian. She went back outside to try to talk to him and he drove “aggressively” toward her and told her to get in or he would hit her with it. She told police he continued to threaten her and threatened to hurt her family once she got inside the vehicle.
Verdugo Felix started driving east toward Longmont on Colo. 119, periodically hitting her in the face, according to the affidavit. She told police she tried to block the blows and kicked him in his side.
According to the affidavit, the woman told police that when the car came to a complete stop at Ken Pratt Boulevard and South Sunset Street, she ran out of the vehicle toward Kansas Avenue.
Verdugo Felix pulled the car over and started chasing her on foot, the affidavit states. He attempted to stop her by throwing his drink at her and he caught up to her as she reached Kansas Avenue. He then began to punch her in the face again, the affidavit states. She flagged down a passerby who allowed her into the car and took her to the Longmont police station.
Verdugo Felix was located driving the victim’s gray Honda Civic at 17th Avenue and Collyer Street in Longmont, according to the affidavit. However, he eluded police attempts to stop him. At one point he hit a Longmont police patrol vehicle and hit a passerby in the 1200 block of Main Street, causing that person unspecified injuries.
Verdugo Felix then left Longmont. However, police and the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office were able to track him because of his probation ankle monitor. He was located in a cul-de-sac off East Progress Drive in Centennial, the affidavit states.
According to the affidavit, Verdugo Felix was combative and refused to comply with officers. He was placed into custody and taken to Boulder County Jail, where he was later booked after a medical clearance.
When Longmont police arrested Felix, they discovered that the woman had a protection order against him which stated, “the subject is restrained from assaulting, threating, abusing, harassing, following, interfering, or stalking the protected person,” and was ordered to have no contact with her. Police also discovered that his license had been revoked.
According to online court records, Felix has several prior criminal charges beginning in 2006, and is on probation for a domestic violence case from 2020.
Verdugo Felix is set to appear in court Wednesday for a formal filing of charges.
