Updated at 2:27 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
A former Clear Creek County sheriff’s sergeant will serve two years probation and forfeit his law enforcement certification for not trying to prevent the 2022 killing of 22-year-old Christian Glass by another law enforcement officer.
Kyle Alan Gould pleaded guilty Thursday to a misdemeanor charge of duty to intervene. As part of the deal, Gould agreed to not seek work in law enforcement in the future.
“Law enforcement officers must be held accountable for their actions when performing their trusted public service duties,” said Heidi McCollum, District Attorney for Colorado’s 5th Judicial District, whose office brought charges against Gould.
McCollum’s office on Thursday also filed charges against six other officers who were present during Glass’ death in June 2022. All were terminated from the sheriff’s office, but some have since gained employment at other agencies.
Randy Williams, now a Georgetown Marshal, faces a charge of duty to intervene and third-degree assault. The four others, Timothy Collins, Brittany Morrow, Christa Lloyd and Mary Harris, each face a charge of duty to intervene. Colorado State Patrol Trooper Ryan Bennie is also charged with duty to intervene. He's worked for the state patrol since 2019 and has been reassigned to an administrative position, according to CSP.
"Christian Glass should still be alive. This incident was a tragedy, and those responsible for his death should be held accountable as an important first step in regaining the public’s trust," said Colonel Matthew C. Packer in a statement Friday. "As the Chief of the Colorado State Patrol, I have had the opportunity to review at length the events that led to the killing of Christian Glass. In my review, I found no indication that Trooper Bennie violated any Colorado State Patrol policy or training. I am shocked by the decision of the District Attorney to pursue charges against Trooper Bennie."
Glass' family commended the district attorney for successfully prosecuting Gould.
"Mr. Gould has accepted responsibility for his part in the murder of Christian Glass by pleading guilty to the crime of Failure to Intervene," the family said in a statement. "Most importantly, this result ensures that Mr. Gould is stripped of his Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certification and will no longer have the privilege of serving as a law enforcement officer. The Glass family hopes that the greater law enforcement community learns from this prosecution and makes changes to their policies and cultures to prevent this type of tragedy in the future."
Christian Glass died in his own car after Andrew Buen, a former Clear Creek deputy, fatally shot him in June 2022 near Silver Plume. Glass, 22, had called for help when his vehicle got stuck on a rock. When Buen and another officer first arrived, he told them he was scared to get out of his car and locked the doors.
Sgt. Gould wasn’t on the scene that night, but he’s who gave Buen permission to break Glass’s car windows, escalating the situation.
The Clear Creek County district attorney charged Buen with second-degree murder, official misconduct and reckless endangerment after sending the case to a county grand jury. He pleaded not guilty earlier this month.
"The Glass family's suffering unfortunately continues as they tirelessly pursue justice for Christian's murder through Mr. Buen's criminal prosecution," the family said in a statement.
Buen is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 20 for a motions hearing. The six officers facing new charges will appear in court in December for a summons return date.
Clear Creek County Sheriff Rick Albers has retired since the incident. County commissioners are still searching for a replacement.
Glass’ parents received a $19 million settlement from Clear Creek County in May — the largest known police settlement in Colorado history.
CPR News’ Allison Sherry contributed reporting.
