Las Animas County jury acquits man accused of threatening Trinidad EMTs

A Las Animas County jury cleared a county man of every charge tied to accusations that he threatened and menaced Trinidad EMTs, ending the case with a not-guilty verdict on all counts. The result was a full acquittal, not a split decision or hung jury, and it closed the criminal case against him.

That outcome mattered because the allegations reached the heart of emergency response in Trinidad and across Las Animas County, where EMTs are often sent into tense scenes and must make split-second decisions while helping people in distress. The jury’s verdict showed the state did not persuade the panel beyond a reasonable doubt, even in a case involving conduct directed at first responders.

Colorado law treats those accusations seriously. Menacing is defined as knowingly placing or trying to place another person in fear of imminent serious bodily injury by a threat or physical action, and it is generally a class 1 misdemeanor unless weapon-related factors increase the charge. Colorado law also bars anyone from knowingly obstructing, impairing or hindering emergency medical treatment or emergency assistance by using or threatening violence, force, physical interference or an obstacle. Those standards help explain why a case involving EMTs would draw close attention from jurors and the public alike.

The verdict also landed in a small county where court cases tend to ripple well beyond the courthouse. Las Animas County, founded in 1866, has a population of just under 15,000, and Trinidad serves as the county seat. In a place that size, a trial involving emergency medical workers can quickly become part of broader conversations about trust in first responders, how conflicts unfold during emergency calls, and how the justice system weighs allegations that sit at the intersection of public safety and criminal law.

State policy has reflected that continued concern. In 2025, lawmakers advanced a bill to expand assault protections for emergency medical care providers while they are performing any function related to medical care, and Colorado’s EMS safety structures continue to include safety committees and regional advisory groups. Against that backdrop, the jury’s decision in Las Animas County left the accusation unproven and ended the case with a complete acquittal.