By Amber McIver-Traywick

The Surveyor

At approximately 8 a.m. on Tuesday morning, Larimer County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the Kwik Korner gas station located at 437 Meadowlark Dr. in Berthoud regarding a vehicle that had been reported stolen by the Longmont Police Department.

The driver of the vehicle, 31-year-old Edward Jay Hicks, was arrested for aggravated motor vehicle theft, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia, as well as another drug-related charge. Hicks was also on parole for a previous conviction which has now been revoked.

Hicks was extradited from Phelps County Nebraska where, at the time, he was being held on unrelated charges after being connected to the robbery of a Walgreens Pharmacy in Fort Collins in 2010. He was charged and convicted of aggravated robbery of a controlled substance in that case.

The passengers of the vehicle were also arrested; Jack Hatton, 41, was arrested for an outstanding warrant, possession of controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia; Eric Rowlette, 31, was arrested for outstanding warrants out of Longmont and Thornton.

Witnesses said they saw the vehicle driven by Hicks get pulled over by a police car and came to a stop in the northeast corner of the Kwik Korner gas station parking lot. “I remember saying that guy’s in trouble,” Amanda Thorstensen, co-owner of Kofe House, located just south of the gas station, who watched the event unfold, commented. Thorstensen said shortly after first noticing the car being pulled over, four more police cars were on site. After the individuals were removed from the vehicle, officers searched the vehicle for evidence.