Nov 4, 2007 11:02 pm US/Mountain
Police: Sheriff's Deputy Kills Man On Highway 6
by Karlyn Tilley
LAKEWOOD, Colo. (AP/CBS4) ―
A man who was fatally shot after an argument with an off-duty Arapahoe County sheriff's deputy was planning to become an apprentice to his electrician father in two weeks, the man's father said.
David Rossiter, 25, of Sheridan, Mont., was killed around 10:15 p.m. Friday at an off-ramp on U.S. 6.
Police said the deputy, 49-year-old Daniel Montana Jr., had pulled next to a pickup truck and exchanged words with two men inside. All three exited their vehicles. During a fight, Montana allegedly shot Rossiter, police said. Rossiter died at a hospital.
Pickup driver Michael Hunter, 24, was not hurt, police said. He was taken into custody for investigation of possible driving under the influence.
Montana was treated for facial injuries at a hospital.
Arapahoe County sheriff's officials have declined to comment.
Stephanie Kruer, an attorney for Rossiter's father, said she spoke with a police detective investigating the case. She said a discarded cigarette butt that landed on the deputy's car may have led to the confrontation.
Police have not publicly said what started the argument.
Steve Davis, spokesman for the Lakewood Police Department, told CBS4 News he isn't sure if this was a road rage incident.
"Whatever started (on the highway off-ramp), when they came to a stop, so it's not clear to me that anything occurred while they were driving on the highway," Davis said.
"Right now, we don't know whether any one side or the other would face any potential charges, it will take us some time to kind of sort through the investigation and come up with that," he added.
Davis said the shooting is being investigated like any other deadly shooting, despite the fact that the shooter is an Arapahoe County Sheriff's deputy.
Any potential charges would have to come from the Jefferson County District Attorney after a review.
"As far as administratively, whether the Arapahoe County Sheriff's deputy followed policy, that will certainly be up to the Arapahoe County Sheriff's office, because he is one of their personnel," Davis said.
Police questioned Montana and released him. He's been with the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office since 1991.
Montana could not be reached for comment Sunday.
Rossiter's father, Charlie Rossiter, told The Denver Post that his son, who was 6-foot-2 and weighed 250 pounds, worked for a construction company, had coached junior high school football, and stuck up for kids who were bullied.
"We're sitting here in limbo trying to understand why our son is gone," Rossiter said Saturday. "My whole life is in turmoil. I have a void here I don't think I can fill."
(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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