On August 20th, 2024, at approximately 01:36 am, Deputies with the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) initiated a traffic stop on a 2007 Honda Accord Sedan bearing Colorado License Plate BPS-700, while driving westbound, just east of the intersection of Colorado State Highway 402 and Interstate I-25 in Loveland. The driver and registered owner, later identified as Emily Louise Minugh, a 54-year-old Berthoud, Colorado resident, had a revoked Colorado Driver’s License and an active warrant for her arrest for Failing to Appear for Driving Under the Influence, a previous LCSO criminal case.

Minugh was the driver and sole occupant of the Honda sedan. Minugh failed to yield to the emergency lights and sirens activated by the deputies and eluded at speeds exceeding 100 mph. Minugh crashed near the intersection of Wheatridge Court and County Road 18 in Loveland. Minugh opened the driver’s side door and produced a firearm. Deputies fired their service weapons, striking Minugh several times.

As soon as the scene was declared safe, deputies performed first aid on Minugh, who was transported to a local hospital.  The Eighth Judicial Critical Incident Response Team was activated and took over the investigation. The Loveland Police Department is the lead investigating agency.

Minugh was arrested at 2:52 p.m. when she was released from the hospital on August 24, 2004. She was booked into the Larimer County Jail on her previous warrant and on the following new charges:

•  C.R.S. 18-3-202(1)(e) Assault in the First Degree, a class 3 Felony; two counts.
• C.R.S. 18-3-206 Menacing, a class 5 Felony; one count.
• C.R.S. 18-9-116.5 Vehicular Eluding, a class 5 Felony; one count.
• C.R.S. 18-4-401 Theft, a class 2 Misdemeanor; one count.
• C.R.S. 42-4-1401 Reckless Driving, a class 2 Misdemeanor Traffic 2; one count.

A booking photo is attached. Anyone who may have witnessed this incident, or have any other information, is asked to call the Loveland Police Department Tip Line at 970-962-2032 or Larimer County Crime Stoppers at 970-221-6868. The charges are merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty. 

A copy of the initial CIRT press release regarding this incident is available at https://www.larimer.gov/spotlights/2024/08/20/cirt-activated-officer-involved-shooting