By Shannon Lukens. Photos courtesy Hayden Police, Moffat County Sheriff’s office and Delta Police. 

UPDATE on Thursday: The Moffat County Sheriff’s Office has updated Wednesday’s Vehicle Pursuit west of Hayden

 

UPDATE from the Moffat County Sheriff’s Office Wednesday night: Of the eight people in the vehicle, two adults are in the Moffat County Jail, one adult was released, and five juveniles are in custody of the Department of Human Services. None of them are from Moffat County.

 

Eight people are in custody after a high-speed chase ended on Hwy 40 just west of Hayden Wednesday afternoon.

 

It started in Delta Tuesday night, when police there tried to make a traffic stop of a vehicle without any license plates, after it left a Maverik gas station. Officers then tried to stop it near a McDonald’s.

Photos courtesy Delta Police Department

Delta Police reported on social media that the vehicle fled from officers, driving at extremely high speeds, “over 100 miles per hour,” towards Grand Junction. Delta Police posted pictures of the vehicle at the gas station, which was reported stolen, and two of the suspects in the car.

 

The post said: ATTEMPT TO LOCATE Vehicle fled from officers at speeds over 100 MPH. On January 6, 2026 around 10:50 PM, officers attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle with no license plates after it left Maverik in Delta. A stop was initiated near McDonald’s, the driver then fled northbound on Highway 50 toward Grand Junction at extremely high speeds. Officers lost sight of the vehicle near G50 Road.  Have you seen this vehicle or know who was driving? Please contact Delta Police Department immediately. Any information could help.

 

Moffat County Sheriff deputies then became aware of the vehicle and attempted to stop the silver Dodge Durango on Hwy 40, just east of Craig, on Wednesday. The vehicle headed on Hwy 40 towards Hayden.

Photos courtesy Hayden Police

At 2:26 p.m. today, Hayden Police Chief Scott Scurlock said they tried to stop it with stop sticks and then a tactical maneuver. Chief Scurlock says when the vehicle attempted to avoid the maneuver, it went across Hwy 40 and into a ditch at which point six people in the car got out of the car and started running in a field, even jumping some barbed wire to try to get away. Two people stayed in the car. Chief Scurlock said, “We had a report that they were armed.”

“It was a good day in law enforcement. You know, we all get in law enforcement, because at the base level, we all like helping people. And so, in this particular instance, the joint efforts of Moffat County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado State Patrol, and Hayden Police, we were able to safelybring this vehicle pursuit to an end. Nobody sustained any great injuries other than some cut hands from jumping barbed wire fences.

And, you know, the good, good guys won today. The person who had their vehicle stolen down around the Grand Junction area, Delta area, gets their vehicle back. The people who are alleged to have been responsible for it are, are in handcuffs and, it’s a good day.”

 

The Moffat County Sheriff’s office says this is in the early stages of a multi-jurisdictional investigation, involving, Moffat County, Colorado State Patrol, Routt County, Mesa County, Delta County, and Hayden Police.

 

The Moffat County Sheriff’s office is working on a full press release, which will be added to this story, when available.

 

All involved individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

 

• From the Moffat County Sheriff’s Office Crimewatch page – Moffat County Vehicle Pursuit
• Facebook post from Delta Colorado Police Department