May 13, 2021
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DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
DouglasCountyNewsPress.net
VOLUME 119 | ISSUE 27
Driver convicted of two traffic offenses in trooper’s death Colorado State Trooper Cody Donahue died along I-25 in 2016 BY JESSICA GIBBS JGIBBS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Accepting a special invitation to attend the art dedication, former Columbine High School Principal Frank DeAngelis speaks PHOTOS BY THELMA GRIMES about mental health and community strength.
Art dedication focuses on healing, mental health Local student works two years to give back to community that helped after STEM shooting BY THELMA GRIMES TGRIMES@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Sometimes in the darkest of times, it is important to find light, seek out the positive and come together as a community. Two years after the shooting at STEM Schools Highlands Ranch, one student did just that in her path to earn the Girl Scouts Gold designation. Now a senior, Grace Bielefeldt was a sophomore when the
shooting occurred on May 7, 2019. Bielefeldt said she can remember being shuffled from the school to the Northridge Recreation Center. To date, she still struggles to go into some of the rec center rooms, especially the tennis courts. On May 4, in a special art dedication, Bielefeldt returned to the recreation center, only this time she was capping off a two-year effort to bring light and positivity while emphasizing the need for more mental health awareness. The project was also aimed at recognizing the importance of a community coming together in the face of tragedy. The four panels of art focus on the positivity, light, and mental health. The location for the paintings is about community. A #STEMStrong cookie.
SEE DEDICATION, P18
Dream Big Dreams...
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 17 | SPORTS: PAGE 20
A jury has found a truck driver who faced trial this month for hitting and killing Colorado State Trooper Cody Donahue guilty on two of three counts. Noe Gamez-Ruiz was found guilty of careless driving while passing an emergency vehicle resulting in death, a Count 1 traffic offense, and failure to remain in a single lane, a minor traffic offense. A judge could sentence him to probation or up to 12 months in jail. The jury found Gamez-Ruiz not guilty of careless driving resulting in death, also a Count 1 traffic offense. District Court Judge Jeffrey Holmes announced the verdict at roughly 10:45 a.m. on May 10 after jurors spent that morning and several hours on Friday, May 7 deliberating. The weeklong trial began May 3 with jury selection and reached closing arguments by May 7. Donahue died the day after Thanksgiving on Nov. 25, 2016 while investigating a separate crash on the side of Interstate 25 south of Castle Rock. The trooper was standing between a crashed vehicle parked on the right shoulder and the interstate’s far-right fog lane when Gamez-Ruiz passed the scene driving a U.S. Foods truck, hitting and killing Donahue instantly. Prosecutors had argued Gamez-Ruiz had ample time to switch lanes and that the scene Donahue was working would have been visible from more than a mile SEE TRIAL, P9
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