The CEO of a Colorado energy company has been charged after a couple accused him of chasing them down and pointing a gun at them when they got lost on the way to a wedding rehearsal dinner. The charges are allegations, and Paul has publicly disputed parts of the couple’s account.
According to the New York Post and 9News, Chris, 26, and his girlfriend were headed to a rehearsal dinner on June 12 when their GPS sent them into a private neighborhood near Sedalia. Chris says he turned around to get back on track when a large red truck cut him off and blocked the road. In a Facebook post, he said Paul, the CEO of Resource Energy, got out, pointed a gun at them and yelled threats while the couple kept their hands up and explained they were lost. Chris said he stayed still because he feared Paul could shoot at any moment, adding that “as a minority, I felt in danger.” His girlfriend took photos and called 911.
Chris identifies as Mexican American. He says two other rehearsal guests also wandered onto the property and were not held at gunpoint. He initially declined to press charges, saying the wedding host warned she would cancel the wedding if he did. He has since asked authorities to reopen the case and says the experience frightened him so much that he skipped the wedding the next day.
The Douglas County District Attorney’s office has filed five charges against Paul, two felony menacing counts and three misdemeanors, 9News reported. According to the report, Paul first told authorities he had not pointed a gun, then said he did not remember doing so after being shown the photos, and he cited pain medication he was taking.
Through a company representative, Paul said the Facebook post does not portray the events accurately but that he deeply regrets his actions that day. He said he had no way of knowing who was in the vehicle, that he saw an unfamiliar car near his home when no visitors were expected, and that he could not tell the couple’s race. He also said people have used his property to hunt elk illegally.
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