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Alleged Hippie Days robber arrested in Walsenburg Sunday

GARDNER / WALSENBURG — While it was fun, music, and food for most, apparently there were some ‘bad vibes’ at the 2014 Hippie Days Music Fest in Gardner over the weekend. A 38-year old Littleton man who allegedly robbed and threatened a trio of Hippie Days attendees at gunpoint was arrested by Huerfano County Sheriff’s deputies Sunday in Walsenburg. Samuel Vallejos, a Huerfano County native who has a current Littleton, CO address, was arrested Sunday morning in the 300 block of W. 7th St., in Walsenburg after three men reported an altercation that allegedly occurred at the Gardner Community Center during this past weekend’s music fest. The men came to the sheriff’s office at about 8 am Sunday to make their report. Deputy Corey Daniels and Sgt. Craig Lessar made the arrest after Vallejos was spotted on West Seventh Street putting gas into a vehicle identified by the victims. In his warrantless arrest affidavit, Daniels said he recognized Vallejos from previous contacts. Vallejos was arrested without incident at about 8:20 am,

allegedly in possession of a reportedly stolen 12-gauge shotgun. The affidavit said the suspect had one live 12-gauge round in his pocket when he was searched. Vallejos has been initially charged with a number of felony counts including aggravated robbery, menacing, possession of a weapon by a prior offender, theft, and second degree criminal trespass. He is being held in the jail on a $45,000 c/s (cash or surety bond. Robert Echard, 48, the alleged robbery victim, told deputies he and Vallejos had an altercation at the community center and during the incident Vallejos also confronted Rudolfo Noe Gallegos, 31, about some money Gallegos allegedly owed Vallejos. Echard said Vallejos went to his truck and attempted to steal a ‘handicam’ owned by Echard. Echard said he grabbed the item back from Vallejos, who then allegedly grabbed a bag containing three containers of medical marijuana, a vaporizer (smoking device) and an inhaler from the bed of Echard’s truck. Echard confronted Vallejos and reported to investigators Vallejos then went to the truck of his green Mercedes-Benz and retrieved a black shotgun, and pointed it at both Echard and Gallegos, allegedly saying he would shoot Echard and kill Gallegos as well. Vallejos then allegedly got back into his car with another individual, identified as Alvin Vallejos, and drove away. Echard said he, Gallegos, and a third person, Kent Hill, 53, left and came to the sheriff’s office in Walsenburg. Gallegos told the sheriff’s deputies he recognized the 12-gauge ‘Maverick’ shotgun as his and said it had been stolen from his Huerfano County residence three days prior to the incident in Gardner. When confronted by deputies on Seventh Street, Daniels told Vallejos he had been accused of stealing the shotgun from Gallegos and threatening at least two of the men in Gardner. Daniels said in his affidavit, Vallejos said, “yeah, I have Noe’s gun in my trunk because he owes me money.” Vallejos allegedly told Daniels he had ‘just asked’ Gallegos for the money he was owed. When the deputies checked the green Mercedes-Benz’s registration it came back to a 1995 Ford Explorer, and the 1990 German sedan was towed as evidence. Daniels said in the affidavit he knew Vallejos was a convicted felon and with the discovery of the weapon he was placed under arrest. Vallejos has appeared on the radar of local law enforcement for a few weeks with allegations he has been involved in thefts, fights and disturbances in Walsenburg; although none of the alleged victims in those cases have pressed charges against him. Walsenburg police were called to Stacy Drive at about 7:35 pm July 19 on a report of shots fired. The preliminary investigation indicates Randy Vigil, 22, and Samuel Vallejos were arguing, then the altercation turned physical. Vigil was initially arrested on attempted murder charges after allegedly firing a handgun at Vallejos. But later follow-up by WPD Chief Tommie McLallen indicated Vigil had acted in self defense and the majority of serious charges against Vigil were dropped. McLallen’s investigation showed Vallejos had likely been the aggressor in that incident.

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