First Judicial DA's Office of Colorado

09/13/2026

The First Judicial District Attorney’s Office has charged Joseph Sutter, 33, of Lakewood, with vehicular homicide and reckless driving after he allegedly struck and killed a 17-year-old riding an e-scooter in late August.

On August 29, Lakewood Police responded to South Wadsworth Boulevard and West Mexico Place after a vehicle struck a scooter rider.

The 17-year-old victim was pronounced deceased at the scene. Due to his age, his name is not being released.

According to the affidavit, the Tesla involved was traveling approximately 79 mph in a 40-mph zone when it struck the victim, who was riding home from work.

Sutter is scheduled for his first court appearance today, September 11, at 10 a.m. The case is 2026CR001730.
If you witnessed the crash or have information that may assist the investigation, please contact Lakewood Police Detective Nees at 303-987-7291.

For the full press release, click here: https://firstda.co/news-update/man-charged-with-vehicular-homicide-following-fatal-e-scooter-crash-in-lakewood/

The filing of criminal charges is a formal accusation that a defendant committed a crime under Colorado law. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

09/11/2026

Nearly 4,000 people. 32 states. The largest turnout in the history of the event.

We were proud to participate this morning at the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb alongside so many of our law enforcement and first responder partners, completing nine laps around the Red Rocks amphitheater, symbolically representing the 110-story climb of the World Trade Center towers.

Each climber carried the name and photo of someone who lost their life on September 11, 2001.

2,977 lives remembered.
Nearly 4,000 people climbing in their honor.

The event raises money for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and the Counseling Services Unit to support fallen firefighters’ families and the broader fire service community.

We were honored to be a small part of such a meaningful morning.

New York City Fire Department (FDNY)

Arvada Police Department, Colorado Arvada Fire South Metro Fire West Metro Fire Rescue

Nearly 4,000 people. 32 states. One shared purpose.Friday’s 9/11 ...

09/11/2026

09/10/2026

Today marks one year since the tragedy at Evergreen High School. We're thinking of the students, families, educators, first responders and the entire Evergreen community, while respecting the students' wish for a sense of normalcy. Tomorrow night, the community will gather at Evergreen High School for a football game, an opportunity to come together, reconnect, and support the students. Our thoughts are with everyone in Evergreen today. To purchase advanced tickets, click here: https://gofan.co/app/school/CO11682

09/08/2026

Today, former Colorado Bureau of Investigation forensic scientist Yvonne “Missy” Woods, 66, was sentenced to 10 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections for criminal conduct committed between 2008 and 2023.

Under the plea agreement, Woods faced 8 to 16 years in prison and was required to accept responsibility for the full scope of her criminal conduct.

“Today’s sentencing brings the criminal prosecution of Missy Woods to a close, but it is only the beginning of the work required to repair the damage she caused throughout Colorado,” First Judicial District Attorney Alexis King said. “Her conduct undermined trust in our justice system and compromised the confidence that law enforcement, defendants and their attorneys, victims, and the public must be able to place in forensic evidence.”

The investigation identified 52 lab reports containing untrue statements, with a 53rd containing misleading conduct. In many cases, Woods reported that DNA was not present when it had been detected, stopping affected cases during the earliest stages of investigation and DNA testing, before the evidence could reach the point of identification or comparison.

The criminal investigation did not uncover evidence establishing that Woods produced false DNA identifications, false comparisons or false positive results.

A restitution hearing is scheduled for Nov. 12 at 8 a.m.

Read the full press release here: https://firstda.co/news-and-updates/

09/05/2026

Happy Labor Day! It’s officially the beginning of a long weekend! 🇺🇸🫏

Poncho, our neighbor at the DA's Office, says it’s time to slow down and take a well-deserved break. We couldn’t agree more.

Our offices will be closed Monday, September 7, in observance of Labor Day.

Happy Labor Day from all of us at the DA’s Office! Have a safe and relaxing weekend. 💙

09/02/2026

We regularly work hand in hand with law enforcement. They are relationships we couldn’t do without.

But for one whole day, we attempted a full-on takeover.

On the softball field.

And honestly? We almost made it happen. ⚾️

The First Judicial District Attorney’s Office joined Arvada police, fire, public works, parks, water and streets for nearly nine hours of very serious softball competition in support of the Arvada Vitality Alliance.

With , the Denver Broncos and plenty of fans cheering us on, it was a pretty great way to spend a Saturday and, most importantly, the event raised around $10,000 for the Arvada Vitality Alliance.

AVA supports charitable and community projects throughout Arvada, helping put money back into the community where it belongs.

But there’s another part of this event we’d love to see grow: the community itself.

The Arvada Vitality Alliance hopes to bring even more residents out next year to meet the police officers, firefighters, public works crews, prosecutors and other people who serve Arvada every day, just outside of their usual uniforms and roles.

So yes, Arvada Police took home the championship. (For now. 👀)

But the biggest win was getting everyone together, and we’d love to see even more of you there next year.

Same field. Same rivalry. Bigger crowd. ⚾️

Arvada Vitality Alliance - AVA , Arvada Police Department, Colorado, City of Arvada Government, Colorado Rockies, Denver Broncos Arvada Fire

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08/28/2026

🚨 An important message from our office: Please help us spread the word. 🚨

Domestic violence victims are being targeted by scammers posing as law enforcement or jail officials.

Once an alleged abuser is booked into jail, booking information can become publicly available. Scammers are using that information to identify a case and track down the victim connected to it.

The callers then tell victims they need to send money to post their abuser's bond.

This scheme builds on an already very prevalent issue in our community. Scammers are using publicly available booking information to target and revictimize people connected to criminal cases. Many of our Pathways diversion clients have received similar calls, and some have fallen victim to the scam.

🚨 REMEMBER: A jail will NEVER call you asking for money. You should NEVER send money to someone over the phone.

Please watch and share this message. The more people who know about this scam, the harder it is for scammers to exploit victims.

PorchLight, A Family Justice Center
Jefferson County Sheriff's Office

🚨 An important message from our office: Please help us spread the w...

08/14/2026

As students head back to school, we’re reflecting on a summer highlight: the STARS (Students Teaching About Relationships and Success) National Conference with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado.

STARS brings young leaders together to build leadership skills, explore career paths, and think about their futures. We loved being part of the experience, and the enthusiasm in the room was contagious.

The future is theirs. We’re just grateful to be part of the conversation. 💙

08/12/2026

The First Judicial District Attorney's Office has charged Cynthia Monroe with two criminal counts, including felony assault and misdemeanor child abuse of a developmentally disabled student at Ute Meadows Elementary School in Littleton.

Read the full press release here: https://firstda.co/news-update/paraprofessional-charged-following-alleged-assault-of-developmentally-disabled-student/

Anyone with information related to these allegations is encouraged to contact the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.