A parking dispute at a popular Wildernest trailhead wound up with one woman being arrested last week when she allegedly wielded a metal shovel to threaten another driver and her two children.
According to the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, the incident began when two drivers were both searching for a parking spot at the trailhead. One driver blocked the road in both directions with her vehicle, then exited the car carrying a 24-inch metal shovel. She approached the other vehicle and waved the shovel in a threatening manner.
The targeted woman, who had two children in her car, yelled at the woman to back away and called 9-1-1. Deputies responded to the scene and interviewed the shovel-wielding driver, who acknowledged that both women had been competing for the same parking spot and admitted she was trying to frighten the other driver.
Following a full investigation, deputies arrested the woman and transported her to the Summit County Detention Facility. She faces charges of menacing and child abuse.
The Wildernest area, located near Silverthorne, draws heavy traffic from Front Range visitors and local recreators alike, sitting a little over an hour away from Denver. Parking lots at trailheads frequently fill up during the day, and all hikers should have alternative plans should a parking spot be unavailble.
