Man was shot
during home break-in
(Might be the rapist police are looking for)
By Jeremy Meyer/The
Gazette
Edited by Mike Braham; headline by Andy Obermueller
November 21, 2000
http://www.gazette.com
A man suspected of forcing his way into a Knob
Hill house was recovering from surgery Monday as police contemplated the charges
they will seek.
Anthony Peralez, 40, of Colorado Springs is
suspected of breaking into a house in the 1200 block of Prairie Road late
Saturday and being shot by the 72-year-old female homeowner, whom police refused
to identify.
The burglary suspect fled from the house.
Police later pulled over a car they thought had caused two hit-and-run crashes
shortly after the break-in, said Sgt. Rod Walker, head of the Colorado Springs
major crimes unit.
Officers noticed Peralez, who was driving, was
bleeding from possible gunshot wounds, Walker said.
Peralez was in fair condition at Memorial
Hospital. He has not been arrested.
Investigating
Police are looking into similarities between the break-in and two
rapes in August and September.
Contact information
Jeremy Meyer may be reached at 476-1623 or jmeyer@gazette.com |
Police are also looking into the similarities
between Saturday's break-in and two rapes that occurred in August and September,
Walker said.
In those cases, the women, who lived alone,
were stalked and raped by a man who broke in through the back door. Police
described the suspect as 40 years old, 5 feet 8 inches tall, 170 pounds with
brown hair.
Peralez is 40, 5 feet 8 inches with brown hair.
He weighs 145 pounds. Police think he entered the Prairie Road home through the
back door.
"We're certainly aware that he fits (the
profile)," Walker said. "But we need evidence to bring that forward.
It's tough to say anything more about that."
Walker said police have yet to talk to Peralez.
The 4th Judicial District Attorney's Office
will decide next week whether charges will be filed against the shooter or
whether the incident falls under the state's so-called "Make My Day"
law, which allows residents to use deadly force to protect themselves in their
homes.
On Monday, neighbors were astonished that their
quiet neighborhood could be rocked by a shooting and a break-in.
"This is kind of a wake-up call,"
said Lori Crouch. "I'm really hoping it's the same person (who committed
the rapes). I'm just hoping we find out soon. I'm just so proud of (the
shooter)."
Jerry Coenen, who lives with Crouch, agreed.
"If there was ever a place where
(shooting) was justified, this was it," he said.
It was the second incident since September in
which a homeowner has shot an alleged intruder.
The first happened Sept. 22 in Briargate, when
63-year-old Carter Westfall shot three men who broke into his house in the 7600
block of Downywood Court at about 1 a.m.
Steven Trujillo, 18, died and Toby Rael, 19,
and Thomas Bernal, 22, were arrested when they sought treatment for minor
gunshot wounds at a Pueblo hospital.
The District Attorney's Office in October filed
burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary charges against Rael and Bernal.
Thursday, Gerry Shisler was wounded in the arm
after confronting an intruder in his Rockrimmon house.
Jeremy Petschow, 22, was arrested on suspicion
of attempted first-degree murder and first-degree burglary. Petschow's alleged
accomplice, Brandon Warren, 26, was arrested Thursday. Petschow was advised of
his rights on Monday.
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