Police received a call about a domestic disturbance just after 8 a.m. near the 2400 block of North Union Blvd. The call indicated that a woman was being choked by a man and police said they heard the woman screaming before the call was lost.

When officers arrived at the apartment, the woman told them the suspect, 23-year-old Curtis Boyd, was using her cell phone to make a call when another man’s picture showed up on her phone, and he “freaked out.”

The woman told police Boyd then placed both of his hands around her neck and began choking her and shaking her. Boyd later returned to the room and pointed a shotgun at her, but was unsuccessful because the woman had placed a safety lock over the trigger guard.

When the woman tried to run past the suspect, he followed her into a room and held the gun up to her “as if to smash her face,” according to a police report.

Boyd was arrested for criminal attempt murder in the second degree, felony menacing, possession of a weapon by a previous offender, obstruction of telephone service because he allegedly smashed the woman’s cell phone when she was calling for help, and harassment.

Arvada police said a vehicle was in the westbound on-ramp to I-70 from southbound Wadsworth, when the car hit an abandoned truck on the side of the road just before 7 a.m.

The truck was in the median on a jack, and was missing a front tire, according to police.

A woman who was sitting in the front passenger’s seat died during the crash. The male driver was taken to St. Anthony’s hospital where he is in critical condition. Officers said there was another male passenger in the car who is also in critical condition.

Police did not release the identities of the victims.

Police said Monty Turner, 51, took his son just after 10 a.m. Saturday from the 700 block of Eldora Place. Longmont Police Cmdr. Jeff Satur said the boy’s father was last seen riding a bike with his son going eastbound on Mountain View Ave. from Independence Drive.

Police said Turner may have had a parked car waiting for him nearby the scene, and that he has since fled in that vehicle. Police are looking for a blue, 2001 Ford F350 pickup truck with license plate 245FLJ.

Officers said Luke had just been reunited with his mother, Brandy Turner, in March after Monty had previously taken his son last July. Brandy now has sole custody of her son, and authorities are concerned about his safety.

Luke is 3 feet tall with blonde hair and blue eyes, and was last seen wearing a royal blue Lightning McQueen t-shirt and light blue swim shorts.

Monty is wanted on an outstanding warrant with a $50,000 bond for failure to appear in court. Police said he will be facing additional charges relating to kidnapping, burglary and assault.

Monty currently has a protection order prohibiting contact with Luke and his mom. The FBI has been informed and is investigating the incident.

Monty Turner is 6-foot-2, weighs 210 pounds, has blue eyes and short brown hair. He was last seen wearing a dark blue long sleeve shirt and blue jeans.

If you have any information regarding Luke’s whereabouts, you are asked to contact the Longmont Police Department at (303) 651-8501.

They also say doctors are issuing illegal prescriptions to reap the rewards of this addiction.

In Colorado every day at least one person dies from an overdose of a prescription pain killer. In the last ten years that number of deaths has tripled.

“We have a situation that has developed over the last 10 or 12 years really into an epidemic,” says Colorado U.S. Attorney John Walsh.

It’s an epidemic fueled by doctors who are over prescribing these powerful and expensive drugs … for a price. “$150 [to] $250 to come in for a very short visit at the end of which a prescription is handed out for a large amount of whatever the painkiller may be,” Walsh says.

Word gets out which doctor is an easy score and people flock there, generating huge profits.

In a 50-page indictment, federal prosecutors charge a former Wheat Ridge doctor and five accomplices with making hundreds of thousands of dollars.

They’re accused of handing out scripts for huge amounts of prescription painkillers and money laundering.

Dr. Joseph Ferrrar is also charged with conspiracy to distribute and dispense controlled substances resulting in the death of one patient.

“Distribution of a controlled substance in violation of federal law that results in a death can result in a 20 year mandatory minimum sentence,” Walsh says.

The list of drugs Ferrar prescribed is mind boggling. Virtually every powerful painkiller on the market. The U.S. attorney tells FOX31 Denver alert pharmacies can help stop the flow of drugs.

“These painkillers are highly addictive and that someone who may start out using oxycodone or oxycontin for a back injury could end up addicted to an incredibly expensive drug.”

It’s a recipe creating a built-in market for illicit doctors to rake in big profits on the side.

A second doctor, Kevin Clemmer of Evergreen, pleaded guilty to similar charges earlier this week. The investigation isn’t over, there’s a possibility it may connect these two doctors.

But are those deals really worth it? And what are the best and worst things to buy on this shopping weekend?

Kendal Perez is a savings expert with FreeShipping.org. She says that the best things to buy this holiday weekend are clothing, mattresses, refrigerators and home goods.

Don’t go for electronics or seasonal items, like grills and patio furniture.

Serlevia O`Kain is out shopping for deals before a family gathering this weekend. “I love Memorial Day sales because you do get bargains.” Serlevia comes to the stores prepared. It’s exactly what Kendal Perez says every shopper should do.

Kendal also recommends shopping at stores that price match. “Go with your smartphone, look up the price at Amazon.com and you can leave the store with the product you want at the price you want.”

It’s advice that keeps dollars in Serlevia’s pocket, every Memorial Day. She says, “I know what I’m going to purchase and what I’m going to pay for it.”

The company’s main business is transporting used cars and trucks between states.

“We will not allow unsafe truck and bus operators to disregard our safety regulations,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Safety is our highest priority, and companies that endanger travelers on our highways and roads have no business staying in business – we will shut them down.”

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration investigators found serious vehicle safety problems during the course of their investigation.

“Any vehicle, but especially a large commercial combination vehicle such as a truck and trailer, that is not maintained or repaired and allowed to become a serious public hazard, is unacceptable,” said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro. “The regulations exist to protect everyone. Compliance is not optional. If a motor carrier does not adhere to the safety regulations, we will see that it does not operate.”

Investigators also say GD Cars violated federal regulations requiring random drug and alcohol testing of its drivers. They also say on one occasion the company dispatched a driver who did not have a commercial driver’s license.

A spokesman for the company told the Denver Post Friday GD Cars is working to fix the problems federal government investigators found.

Trail Ridge road historically opens on Memorial Day weekend. Last year, it opened May 14.

The earliest it has ever opened was May 7, 2002 and the latest was June 26, 1943.

Trial Ridge is the highest continuous paved road in the United States. It connects the towns of Estes Park and Grand Lake but climbs to 12,183 feet above sea level in between.

“National Park Service plow operators normally begin clearing the snow in the middle of April,” says park spokesman Kyle Patterson.

“Crews from the west side of the park and crews from the east side of the park move along the road and eventually meet at the Alpine Visitor Center.”

The Visitor Center is the highest in the National Park Service, sitting at an altitude of 11,796 feet.

“Spring storms often impact plowing activities. This year, plow operators encountered average snow drifts from 18 to 22 feet.  Much of the snow came in the early spring,” Patterson says.

The two reservation campgrounds in Rocky Mountain National Park are full Saturday and Sunday. The first come, first served campgrounds are expected to fill up as well.

“The park’s backcountry still looks and feels like winter above 9,000 feet,” Patterson says.

For more information about Rocky Mountain National Park visit www.nps.gov/romo or call the park’s Information Office at (970) 586-1206. The Trail Ridge Road status hotline is (970) 586-1222.

Colorado Highway 82 over Independence Pass opened on Thursday, April 23. And Colorado Highway 5 up Mt. Evans was scheduled to open for the season late Friday afternoon.

In court Friday, Joseph and Lynell Hill and Dexter Lewis entered not guilty pleas in the murders of five people at Fero’s Bar and Grill in Denver.

Prosecutors with the Denver District Attorney’s Office indicated they are considering seeking the death penalty in the case.

They have a deadline of July 26 for making the decision.

The three suspects are accused of hatching a plan to rob Fero’s last October.  They allegedly went into the bar and two of the suspects are accused of viciously stabbing the five people who were there, including bar owner, 63 year old Young Fero.

The three then are accused of setting a fire to try to cover up the crime. But a fourth person with them that night was also an informant for federal law enforcement.

Prosecutors say he was not a participant in the murders but provided information that led to the three arrests. The result of the robbery was $170.

The chaotic morning ends peacefully nearly three hours later. It was a false alarm.

It appears the assault rifle was a fake–used in a class project.

Police got a 911 call from the school at 11:38 a.m. A student and a teacher saw a male carrying what looked like an assault rifle outside Thornton High School at 9351 Washington St.

The high school–and next-door Bollman Tech–immediately go into lockdown as police arrive to thwart any danger.

“It’s pretty scary right now. It’s pretty surreal,” says parent Robert Hernandez.

Instead of the usual school buses, a convoy of cop cars crowd Thornton High. “Today, I drive up and see police officers on the roof with submachine guns,” says Hernandez.

What should have been a carefree last day of school was anything but.

“Students reporting a kid with an assault rifle just walked past the front doors,” says a dispatcher on the Radio Reference website.

Police from several departments arrive to face a threat allegedly by a student outside the Adams County 12 high school

“Any descriptions or direction of travel? Black shorts, black shirt, heading south past the front doors,” says an officer on Radio Reference.

They lockdown the school. Then, they evacuate students, hand-in-hand they board waiting school busses. Worried parents wait to hear if their children are safe.

“Overwhelmed. Scared. He’s my only kid,” says Lisa Luepke, the mother of a freshman.

“This is all a precaution. No one is hurt,” an officer tells a mother at a road block near the school.

Police tell mothers and fathers to pick up their kids at a nearby RTD Park-&-Ride,

“Little nerve-wracking, scary because you don’t know what’s going on. Right now, we can’t find my son,” says Rebecca Shields about her 16-year-old.

Hundreds of parents piling into the parking lot creates gridlock. “My mom is here. She is over there somewhere stuck in traffic,” says sophomore Alex Newman.

In the end, police don’t find the threat.

But students find their last day of school at once confusing and exhilarating.

“Wow, there’s people with guns in my school,” says Newman, of what he calls a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Parents are grateful it ended as it did.

“I am relieved no one was hurt. We’ve had our share of tragedies in Colorado,” says Luepke.

It turns out a student’s history project included a replica of a rifle. Here’s the details in a statement from Thornton Police:

“At approximately 12:49 pm, a parent called Thornton Police Dispatch and stated that she had picked up a school project from her son at Thornton High School earlier today that involved a replica rifle.”

“Investigators responded and took possession of the display. The student was subsequently interviewed and stated that he had brought in a history class project to school on Wednesday, May 22, that involved a memorial display involving a ‘Fallen Soldier Battle Cross.’”

“The display involved a rifle, helmet and boots. He stated that his mom had responded to the school earlier today and picked up his class project. He stated that he had carried it out of the school and to his awaiting mother in the parking lot. The rifle utilized in this display was a replica AK-47,” the Thornton Police statement concluded.

1. Join Reward Programs – Free programs like Carmike Rewards and Regal Crown Club offer free candy, soft drinks and movie tickets for accrued points. Residents of Westminster and Fort Collins can join AMC’s Stubs program for $12 per year and receive ticket credits, free concession upgrades and waived online fees.

2. Use Discount Gift Cards – You can buy gift cards to Fandango, Cinemark, AMC Theaters and more for less than face value through GiftCardGranny.com. With an average discount of nearly 14 percent, you’ll save instantly on tickets and concessions.

3. Silence Your Phone – This standard pre-movie request can actually save you money at Cinemark. By downloading their Cinemode app to quiet your phone during a movie, you can earn rewards towards coupons for free candy or a small popcorn with concession purchase.

4. Use Credit Card Perks – Visa Signature cardholders can save 20% on a $25 order of Fandango gift cards when they order the cards online. Some cards offer cash back on specific purchases, including Chase Freedom which will credit you 5% on all movie theater purchases through June.
5. Select Your Showtime Wisely – Opting for a matinee over a Friday-night opening is an obvious way to save money at the movies. However, select theaters offer discounted tickets on low-traffic days. Residents of Englewood and Littleton, for example, should look into rates during Regal Value Days.

Around 6:30 a.m., police reported the fatal crash, which involved a motorcycle and a truck.

Aurora Police said the wreck began when a minivan slowed ahead of the motorcyclist. The motorcyclist was unable to slow down in time, struck the minivan and veered into the right lane, where he collided with a semi-trailer truck.

The semi struck the motorcyclist and he died on scene, police said. Neither alcohol nor excessive speed was a suspected contributor to the accident, police said.

According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, southbound I-225 was closed between Mississippi and East Illiff Avenue as of 7 a.m. The northbound lanes were also closed down to one lane.

As of 7:45 a.m., Aurora Police estimated that the I-225 closures would be in place for two to four hours.

Denver Code Enforcers are on patrol this week looking for weeds growing taller than six inches in height and length — much to the delight of neighbors on the block where big weeds live.

“We have power to notify owners of violations, but after the second posting, we can even levy fines,” said Robbin Bruning. “After the fines go unpaid we can even put a lien on the property to get the violations corrected.”

The city has lists of volunteers who will come out and cut weeds for those who simply cannot do the work. They will also send out abatement crews from the city to cut down the unattended vegetation.

The whole code violation program is designed to keep the city looking as beautiful as it can.

If you have a weedy yard to report just call your complaint into Denver’s 311.

Hollister, which markets itself as a teenager’s place to find Southern California clothing, operates stores across the country and has been the focus of the a class action lawsuit since 2009.

The lawsuit, brought on by the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition, is focused on the store’s front entrance which the plaintiffs believe do not allow equal access to disabled customers.

The entrances, which can be found at stores including at Park Meadows Mall, features steps to enter and exit. There are side entrances accessible with a push button for the handicap but a Federal judge agreed the company could do more to comply with the American with Disabilities Act.

“The only thing the plaintiffs in this case are seeking are changes to the stores, to make them to accessible so that people can have the same full and equal enjoyment of accessing the store,” said Kevin Williams, the legal program director of the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition.

In an interview with FOX-31 Denver, the Coalition called for Hollister to come up with a reasonable timeline for the clothing giant to make their stores more accessible. In a written statement on Wednesday, the company said it expects to work with the coalition to find a solution agreeable to by both parties.

We are surprised by the Judge’s decision that the Hollister entrances are not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). We’ve maintained throughout the litigation, and continue to maintain, that the stores comply with the ADA and allow access to all patrons. Beyond that, we want all of our customers to have a positive experience when shopping in our stores. While we reserve the right to appeal the underlying legal issue, we are currently working with the court and the plaintiffs to reach a mutually agreeable resolution.”

A hearing is set for August 16th to determine what steps the company should take to modify their stores.