Story by Patti Brown
Estes Park Police arrested Thomas Chase Hill, 32, on Saturday, July 26, on second-degree burglary with forced entry, theft from burglary, first-degree arson with endangering life, and criminal mischief. Hill was booked at the Larimer County Jail in Fort Collins.
The charges relate to the burglary of weaponry from Blades, a knife and specialty weapons store that sells swords at 145 E. Elkhorn Ave., and a fire at the Haber Motel, 397 E. Elkhorn Ave. Both incidents took place late Friday night.
A man with the same name and birthdate was arrested in October 2020 and charged with first-degree arson and reckless endangerment for a fire in Kremmling that burned a shed and a car inside the shed.
The individual pleaded guilty to fourth-degree arson and was sentenced to two years of probation and 45 days in jail in addition to mental health and substance abuse evaluations and treatment.
According to reporting by McKenna Hartford of Sky-Hi News, when that man was being sentenced, he interrupted Grant County Judge Nicholas Catanzarite, saying that the judge would face consequences from God for sentencing him to jail.
Hill will make his first court appearance on Thursday, July 31, at 8:30 a.m. and is scheduled for another on Aug. 4.
The EPPD has asked the public for any information, including videos, that might aid their investigation. Anyone with information should contact EPPD Detective Mason at 970-577-3870 or email hmason@estes.org.
This is the second time this month that the EPPD has made an arrest on charges of arson. On July 10, Steven Allen Poff was arrested on charges of fourth-degree arson for allegedly starting an illegal campfire on West Elkhorn.
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