Deputy Cleared in Berthoud Pursuit Shooting

District attorney finds Larimer County deputy legally justified after high-speed chase ends near county line

This story follows our earlier coverage of the overnight Berthoud pursuit in November 2025 — including these reports:
https://northfortynews.com/category/news/suspect-identified-in-berthoud-pursuit-cirt-investigation-continues/
https://northfortynews.com/category/news/driver-and-deputy-injured-after-early-morning-berthoud-pursuit/

A Larimer County Sheriff’s deputy was legally justified in firing his weapon during a high-speed pursuit that began in Berthoud and ended near the Larimer–Weld county line, according to a Critical Incident Response Team review released this week by the 8th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

The review examined the November 16, 2025, incident in which Larimer County Sheriff’s Deputy Chris Connor fired one round at a suspect vehicle following an extended pursuit that reached speeds exceeding 120 miles per hour. No one was struck by the bullet, and no criminal charges will be filed against the deputy, District Attorney Gordon McLaughlin concluded.

The incident began shortly after 2:30 a.m. when Deputy Connor attempted a traffic stop on a black Audi in Berthoud for unlawful license plates. The driver, identified as Matthew Wright, fled at high speed through residential streets, ran multiple stop signs and red lights, and continued south on county roads at extreme speeds.

After an approximately 8.75-mile pursuit, Deputy Connor used a Precision Immobilization Technique on County Road 14 east of Interstate 25. As the deputy exited his patrol vehicle to conduct a high-risk stop, he believed the suspect was attempting to drive forward, placing him in imminent danger of being pinned or run over. Audio from body-worn camera footage captured the vehicle engine revving at the time.

Deputy Connor fired one round through the windshield of the Audi. Investigators later determined the vehicle did not move forward, likely due to a transmission malfunction, and the bullet did not strike either the driver or the passenger.

The multi-agency CIRT investigation was led by Fort Collins Police Services with assistance from the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, the Loveland Police Department, the Colorado State University Police Department, and the 8th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. The Weld County District Attorney’s Office reviewed the findings and agreed with the conclusion.

Matthew Wright was taken into custody, evaluated at the Medical Center of the Rockies, and released later the same day. He now faces multiple charges, including vehicular eluding, reckless driving, and attempted third-degree assault. All charges are allegations, and Wright is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

In his report, McLaughlin concluded that Deputy Connor attempted nonviolent means prior to using force, used a level of force consistent with minimizing injury, and acted reasonably under Colorado law to protect his life during the encounter.

The district attorney emphasized that the scope of the CIRT review is limited to determining whether the use of force was lawful and does not evaluate internal agency policies such as vehicle pursuit decisions.

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Source: 8th Judicial District Attorney’s Office

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