Case Explained:This article breaks down the legal background, charges, and implications of Case Explained: Busy couple of days for law enforcement | Western Colorado – Legal Perspective
Law enforcement had a busy couple of days responding to several incidents that led to five arrests.
On March 31, at approximately 11:30 a.m., Mesa County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a verbal disturbance in the 3200 block of E Road in Clifton. Deputies witnessed the two suspects of the previous verbal disturbance driving away from the area. Deputies made contact with both adults from the van in the parking lot of a convenience store. It was determined that a violation of a protection order had occurred between the two adults, and the driver of the van admitted to being stoned during his conversation with deputies about the verbal incident.
Ricky Beshear, 41, of Clifton, was arrested and transported him to the Mesa County Detention Facility on the following charges: Violation of a protection order, drove vehicle under the influence, driving with revoked license.
Later the same day, deputies were back in action after receiving a report of a neighbor attempting to modify shared irrigation ditch water in the 900 block of 22 Road in Grand Junction.
It was determined that no criminal activity had occurred, but later, deputies were called to the same scene at approximately 6 p.m., and located John E. Morris, driving and operating heavy equipment, attempting to fill a shared ditch with dirt.
Morris, 67, of Grand Junction, was arrested and booked into the Mesa County Detention Facility on the following charges: cutting or breaking gate, bank, or flume, first degree criminal tampering, obstructing a peace officer, and drove vehicle under the influence.
Later that same evening, at approximately 8 p.m., MCSO deputies and Fruita Police Department officers responded to the scene at the 1300 block of 12 ½ Road in Loma for a confrontational adult male suspected of being intoxicated.
Joseph Wilkinson, 45, of Fruita was arrested and booked into the Mesa County Detention Facility on the following charges: Prohibitive use of a weapon, misdemeanor harassment, follow person in public place, obscene language/gesture, and drove vehicle under the influence.
On April 1, at approximately 10 a.m., deputies responded to the report of utility workers being confronted by an adult male brandishing a shotgun. Deputies responded to the 3200 block of West White Circle in Clifton.
Utility workers had knocked on the residential door, rang the video doorbell, held up their company-issued identification, and verbally announced their presence before entering the backyard property to replace equipment.
An adult male, later identified as 50-year-old Matthew Zortman, was ultimately arrested on two counts of felony menacing with a real/simulated weapon.
The utility workers quickly left the backyard property when they were confronted with the shotgun. Zortman was booked into the Mesa County Detention Facility without incident. His booking photo was not available.
And finally, also on April 1, deputies were called to a confrontation between neighbors in the 400 block of 30 Road in Grand Junction, just before 2 p.m. John Thomas, 52, of Grand Junction, was arrested on one charge of felony menacing for brandishing a pitchfork at his neighbor. He was booked into the Mesa County Detention Facility.