What Seems To Be the Problem Officer: Drunk Man Responds to 911 Call in Stolen Patrol Car.

Park County Sheriff’s Office in Colorado has been pleading for help for several months due to staffing shortages. In March, Sheriff Thomas McGraw told local news that he only had eight deputies and would like to see at least 18. As a result, he had to cut the night shift, causing no coverage between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m., with deputies only responding to emergencies. Well, one citizen must have heard the cries for help.

Jeremiah James Talor, 33, allegedly broke into the unstaffed Park County Sheriff’s Office Lake George substation and stole a marked 2013 Dodge Durango patrol vehicle. During the joy ride, Taylor heard a domestic violence call being dispatched on the radio and decided to respond. Just before 3:30 a.m., a 911 caller stated Taylor arrived at the home, obviously intoxicated, identified himself as a Park County Sheriff’s Office Deputy, and asked, “where’s the old man that’s going to shoot someone?”

When the actual Park County deputies arrived on scene, Taylor fled from the scene in the patrol vehicle. Once deputies realized what was going on, they began to search the area for Taylor. Roughly two hours later, deputies were able to locate Taylor, and a high-speed pursuit occurred when Taylor refused to pull over. Deputies managed to catch up to Taylor when he eventually crashed and fled on foot into a wooded area armed with a knife. According to the arrest affidavit, deputies followed Taylor into the woods, where he was taken into custody after a brief standoff and a TASER deployment.

Taylor, who is on probation for menacing, theft, and driving under the influence, now faces a litany of charges, including: aggravated motor vehicle theft, impersonating a peace officer, resisting arrest, vehicular eluding, obstruction, reckless endangerment, second-degree burglary, reckless driving.