Justin Kyle Kautz, 39, is accused of shoplifting from a Denver-area clothing store which led to the death of his accomplice after she fell out of their getaway vehicle, according to police. (Greenwood Village Police Department)
A shoplifting incident turned deadly after a woman fell out of a getaway car speeding away from cops and died, according to police in Colorado.
It unfolded around 4:25 p.m. Thursday at the Sierra Trading Post clothing store in Greenwood Village, which is south of Denver. The Greenwood Village Police Department said officers confronted two shoplifting suspects in the parking lot. The suspect vehicle, an SUV, sped away while striking several cars in the process, police said.
Local NBC affiliate KUSA received a video of the incident from a viewer. KUSA appeared to post the video on its website but it has since been taken down. It showed the woman was in the driver’s seat of an SUV while the other suspect, 39-year-old Justin Kyle Kautz, was in the passenger seat. The SUV rammed several vehicles with the woman hanging out of it, the outlet reported.
When the SUV hit one of the vehicles, the SUV’s door hit the woman and she then fell out. Officers rushed over to help the woman who was taken to a hospital where she later died. Meanwhile, Kautz got away.
On Saturday, Greenwood Village police obtained an arrest warrant for first-degree murder for Kautz. Officers did not name the woman. They did not specify if they believe she died in an accident or not.
Kautz is described as 5-foot, 9-inches, 180 pounds, with brown eyes, closely cropped hair and a goatee. He is considered dangerous and was last seen driving a 2008 black colored Chevrolet Impala LTZ, according to police.
Police say anyone who knows about his whereabouts should call 911.
“A possible reward may be available for actionable information that leads to Justin Kautz’s arrest,” police said.
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