thenerdguy
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GRANBY, Colo. - A muffler shop owner who plowed his makeshift armored bulldozer into several buildings over a dispute with city officials was found dead in the machine after a SWAT team gained access with explosives, authorities said.
A statement from Grand County Undersheriff Glen Trainor confirmed that Marvin Heemeyer was dead but did not give a cause.
Heemeyer, who lost two bitter battles with town officials, plowed an armor-plated bulldozer into the town hall, a former mayor's home and at least five other buildings Friday before the machine ground to a halt in the wreckage of a warehouse.
No injuries were reported in the rampage.
'Futuristic tank'
The slow-motion rampage left a trail of splintered structures in this mountain tourist town outside Rocky Mountain National Park, but there were no reports of injuries. The driver was armed with a .50-caliber weapon, but it appeared he deliberately avoided injuring anyone, Holahan said.
At least 40 sheriff's deputies, State Patrol officers and federal park and forest rangers fired about 200 rounds at the yellow bulldozer as it crept through town, Holahan said. The shots were deflected by heavy metal plates over the cab, hood and radiator, apparently welded on over a period of weeks in the driver's muffler shop.
"It looked like a futuristic tank," said Rod Moore, speaking by phone from his auto garage and towing company.
He said the bulldozer rumbled past within 15 feet of his shop, with an officer perched on top, firing shots into the top. At one point, he said the officer dropped some kind of explosive down the exhaust pipe.
"He just kept shooting," Moore said. "The dozer was still going ... it didn't do a thing."
By late afternoon, the bulldozer had come to a stop stuck in the rubble of a metal warehouse. Officers clambered on top, apparently trying to talk to Heemeyer.
Authorities tried blasting their way into the steel-plated cab of the machine with explosives late Friday, but two explosions failed to penetrate the makeshift armor, Grand County Emergency Management Director Jim Holahan said. One explosion could be heard at least a mile away.
Hours later, officers still surrounded the bulldozer, and there had been no sign of movement inside, said Lurline Curran, Grand County manager.
A third explosion was tried on Saturday.
Zoning dispute
Heemeyer was angry after losing a zoning dispute over land near his muffler shop, town manager Tom Hale said.
He also had been fined $2,500 in a separate case for not having a septic tank and other city code violations at his business, Hale said.
When he paid the fine, he enclosed a note with his check saying "Cowards," Hale said.
"We felt he was venting his frustration that he didn't get his way," Hale said of the note. "We didn't think he was going to do something like this."
Gov. Bill Owens traveled to Granby Friday night to assess the damage.
Authorities with the Grand County sheriff's office and town police did not return calls seeking comment. The State Patrol said all roads in and out of the town 50 miles west of Denver were closed.
Targeted destruction
"Gunfire was just ringing out everywhere," said Sandra Tucker, who saw the bulldozer begin the rampage from her office on Main Street. "It sounded to me like an automatic rifle, firing about every second."
Curran, the county manager, said at least some of the wrecked buildings belonged to people involved in one or both of the disputes.
"He evidently proceeded in destroying the properties of people involved with that," Curran said. She said she had heard the man spent two months fortifying the bulldozer in his shop.
Ian Daugherty, a bakery owner, said the driver was upset a concrete plant had been built too close to his business. The driver, Daugherty added, "went out of his way" not to harm anyone.
State Patrol Maj. Jim Wolfinbarger said officers told him the driver had aimed his weapon at propane tanks.
The bulldozer also knocked out natural gas service to City Hall and a cement plant, damaging a truck and part of a utility service center, Xcel Energy spokesman Mark Stutz said.
Granby is a town of about 2,200 at nearly 8,000 feet. It is near the Winter Park ski resort and not far from the edge of Rocky Mountain National Park.
The scene was reminiscent of a 1998 rampage in Alma, another town in the Colorado Rockies. Authorities said Tom Leask shot a man to death, then used a town-owned front-end loader to heavily damage the post office, fire department, water department and town hall.
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A statement from Grand County Undersheriff Glen Trainor confirmed that Marvin Heemeyer was dead but did not give a cause.
Heemeyer, who lost two bitter battles with town officials, plowed an armor-plated bulldozer into the town hall, a former mayor's home and at least five other buildings Friday before the machine ground to a halt in the wreckage of a warehouse.
No injuries were reported in the rampage.
'Futuristic tank'
The slow-motion rampage left a trail of splintered structures in this mountain tourist town outside Rocky Mountain National Park, but there were no reports of injuries. The driver was armed with a .50-caliber weapon, but it appeared he deliberately avoided injuring anyone, Holahan said.
At least 40 sheriff's deputies, State Patrol officers and federal park and forest rangers fired about 200 rounds at the yellow bulldozer as it crept through town, Holahan said. The shots were deflected by heavy metal plates over the cab, hood and radiator, apparently welded on over a period of weeks in the driver's muffler shop.
"It looked like a futuristic tank," said Rod Moore, speaking by phone from his auto garage and towing company.
He said the bulldozer rumbled past within 15 feet of his shop, with an officer perched on top, firing shots into the top. At one point, he said the officer dropped some kind of explosive down the exhaust pipe.
"He just kept shooting," Moore said. "The dozer was still going ... it didn't do a thing."
By late afternoon, the bulldozer had come to a stop stuck in the rubble of a metal warehouse. Officers clambered on top, apparently trying to talk to Heemeyer.
Authorities tried blasting their way into the steel-plated cab of the machine with explosives late Friday, but two explosions failed to penetrate the makeshift armor, Grand County Emergency Management Director Jim Holahan said. One explosion could be heard at least a mile away.
Hours later, officers still surrounded the bulldozer, and there had been no sign of movement inside, said Lurline Curran, Grand County manager.
A third explosion was tried on Saturday.
Zoning dispute
Heemeyer was angry after losing a zoning dispute over land near his muffler shop, town manager Tom Hale said.
He also had been fined $2,500 in a separate case for not having a septic tank and other city code violations at his business, Hale said.
When he paid the fine, he enclosed a note with his check saying "Cowards," Hale said.
"We felt he was venting his frustration that he didn't get his way," Hale said of the note. "We didn't think he was going to do something like this."
Gov. Bill Owens traveled to Granby Friday night to assess the damage.
Authorities with the Grand County sheriff's office and town police did not return calls seeking comment. The State Patrol said all roads in and out of the town 50 miles west of Denver were closed.
Targeted destruction
"Gunfire was just ringing out everywhere," said Sandra Tucker, who saw the bulldozer begin the rampage from her office on Main Street. "It sounded to me like an automatic rifle, firing about every second."
Curran, the county manager, said at least some of the wrecked buildings belonged to people involved in one or both of the disputes.
"He evidently proceeded in destroying the properties of people involved with that," Curran said. She said she had heard the man spent two months fortifying the bulldozer in his shop.
Ian Daugherty, a bakery owner, said the driver was upset a concrete plant had been built too close to his business. The driver, Daugherty added, "went out of his way" not to harm anyone.
State Patrol Maj. Jim Wolfinbarger said officers told him the driver had aimed his weapon at propane tanks.
The bulldozer also knocked out natural gas service to City Hall and a cement plant, damaging a truck and part of a utility service center, Xcel Energy spokesman Mark Stutz said.
Granby is a town of about 2,200 at nearly 8,000 feet. It is near the Winter Park ski resort and not far from the edge of Rocky Mountain National Park.
The scene was reminiscent of a 1998 rampage in Alma, another town in the Colorado Rockies. Authorities said Tom Leask shot a man to death, then used a town-owned front-end loader to heavily damage the post office, fire department, water department and town hall.
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