July 16, 2018 – On Friday the 13th at approximately 4 p.m., deputies were contacted by a citizen who had discovered an abandoned vehicle on their property near Highway 36 and County Road V. The vehicle was hidden between three irrigated circles nearly one half of a mile down a private access road. Sergeant Austin Molcyk and Deputy Paul McDaniel arrived on scene and learned that the vehicle had been involved in a vehicle pursuit in Adams County two days prior. Deputy McDaniel used K9 Hank to conduct an external sniff of the vehicle, and he gave a positive indication to the presence of narcotics.
While preparing to tow the vehicle, another vehicle drove into the secluded location and immediately turned around and took off after seeing the deputies. After getting behind the vehicle, Deputy McDaniel observed a male and female passenger matching the description of the suspects received from Adams County’s pursuit. The vehicle was stopped and the subjects were detained.
A subsequent search of both vehicles and the subject’s belongings yielded 2.6 ounces of methamphetamine, 1.2 grams of cocaine, and .4 grams of heroin, various prescription pills, a plethora of narcotics paraphernalia, and stolen identification and social security cards.
Nissa Waaben, age 26 of Commerce City; and Michael Casias, age 35 of Denver, are both being held in the Yuma County Jail on warrants for their arrest out of other jurisdictions as well as new charges locally. Both subjects were charged with Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance (3 counts, a class 4 drug felony), Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance (a class 2 drug felony), 3rd Degree Criminal Trespass (a class 5 felony), Attempt to Influence a Public Servant (a class 4 felony), Criminal Impersonation (a class 6 felony), and Criminal Possession of an Identification Document (a class 6 felony). Additionally, Casias has been charged with Obstructing a Peace Officer (a class 2 misdemeanor).