Longmont SWAT team nabs man suspect of hitting officer, patrol cars

Longmont police arrested a man Saturday who allegedly struck a Brighton police officer and three patrol cars.

Police received a report that Mark Molstad, 52, was at a Venice Street home in Longmont on Saturday. When Molstad tried to flee at about 8:45 p.m., SWAT team members shot him
with nonlethal rounds and a stun gun to stop him.

“He sneaked into the backyard and took off on foot, and he was shot and tased,” said Cmdr. Jeff Satur.

Brighton officers were working traffic control at the intersection of U.S. 85 and Weld County 2 on Feb. 27 when dispatch advised them that a woman, reportedly being followed by her ex-husband on southbound U.S. 85, was nearing their location.

As officers approached the woman’s vehicle, a white Jeep Cherokee directly behind her swung out of the lanes of traffic, striking a Brighton officer’s leg and then fleeing south on U.S. 85.

Officers pursued the suspect vehicle south on U.S. 85 to East Bridge Street, where the SUV exited the highway and headed west on Colorado 7 to Miller Avenue. The driver then turned south into the Crown Homes area.

During the course of a short pursuit, the suspect struck three police cars with the SUV. Out of concern for public safety, police said, they terminated the chase.

Police tracked Molstad to the Longmont home Saturday.

Molstad was treated at Longmont United Hospital and released to Brighton police, according to a Longmont police statement.

Tom McGhee: 303-954-1671, tmcghee@denverpost.com or twitter.com/dpmcghee