A police officer in Denver, Colorado, pleaded guilty to multiple charges in connection with a previous incident of drunk driving and speeding away from law enforcement, reaching speeds exceeding 100 mph. He has been sentenced to probation.
As reported by 9News, Denver Police Department (DPD) officer Christopher Thomas was sentenced to two years’ probation and 48 hours of community service on Monday, June 15. On top of it, he will pay a $150 fine.
He had previously pleaded guilty in April to charges of driving under the influence and eluding a police officer. He had also been charged with reckless driving and reckless endangerment, but these charges were dropped as part of his plea agreement.
The severity of Thomas’ sentencing aligns with the bare minimum in the state of Colorado. The eluding charge could have landed him behind bars for up to 90 days.
Traffic Stop Attempted
The aforementioned charges stem from an incident that occurred on October 23, 2025. As per 9News, a white Dodge Ram truck speeding, at the time, caught the attention of a Colorado State Patrol (CSP) trooper.
The CSP detailed that the trooper clocked the driver, later identified as Thomas, driving his vehicle at 102 mph. He was driving on Highway 58, which is a 65 mph zone.
The pulled-over trooper eventually caught up to Thomas on Interstate 70. The trooper activated the patrol unit’s lights to conduct a traffic stop. The Denver cop, however, sped away.
Pursuit, Fleeing Again
A high-speed chase followed immediately. At one point, speeds of above 100 mph were once again achieved on I-70.
However, due to the presence of other drivers on the interstate, the CSP trooper decided to call the pursuit off. Still, the trooper managed to take notes of the Dodge’s license plates.
The trooper ran the plates and found that the vehicle belonged to Thomas. He also got hold of an address near Harlan Street. However, when he responded to the address, he encountered Thomas, who once again fled after spotting the trooper. No pursuit was initiated at the time.
Further Details, Arrest
An arrest affidavit cited by the outlet detailed that a second Denver Police officer was inside Thomas’ Dodge Ram at the time of the incident. Allegedly, the officer had contacted a third officer about the situation, which was then reported to a sergeant.
The sergeant then reported the incident to the CSP. A search of the second officer’s phone revealed text messages between him and Thomas’ sister, with the officer asking for help and the sister suggesting they report the truck stolen and mentioning the fact that Thomas had been drinking, as per the affidavit.
More than a month later, in early December, Thomas was arrested. The second officer, as of December 2025, continued working at the Denver Police Department in a non-patrol assignment.
Thomas, now serving probation, will work on an “offline assignment” with the DPD, according to a spokesperson. He would continue to do so until an internal review concludes.