Bulldozer rampage: Man dead

2004-06-05 14:34

Granby, Colorado - A muffler shop owner who ploughed his makeshift armoured bulldozer into several buildings over a dispute with city officials was found dead in the machine after a Swat team gained access with explosives early on Saturday, authorities said.

The driver was identified by the town manager as muffler shop owner Marvin Heemeyer. A statement from Grand County Undersheriff Glen Trainor early on Saturday said the driver was found dead. The statement did not give a cause.

He was armed with a .50-caliber weapon but appeared to be deliberately avoiding injuring anyone during the rampage, which began on Friday afternoon. No other injuries were reported, Grand County Emergency Management Director Jim Holaham said.

Heemeyer, who lost two bitter battles with town officials, ploughed the armour-plated bulldozer into the town hall, a former mayor's home and at least five other buildings before the machine ground to a halt in the wreckage of a warehouse.

City officials said he was angry over a zoning dispute and fines from city code violations at his business.

Authorities detonated three explosions and fired at least 200 rounds against the heavy steel plates welded to the bulldozer. The first two detonations failed; the results of the third were not immediately known.

Trainor said the dozer's armour plates consisted of two sheets of 1cm steel with a layer of concrete between them.

Residents of this mountain tourist town of 2 200, about 80km west of Denver, described a bizarre scene as the bulldozer slowly crashed through buildings, trees and lampposts, with dozens of officers walking ahead or behind it, firing into the machine and shouting at townspeople to flee.

Trainor was perched on top, firing shot after shot into the top and once dropping an explosive down the exhaust pipe.

Town manager Tom Hale said Heemeyer was angry after losing a zoning dispute that allowed a cement plant to be built near his muffler shop. Heemeyer also was also fined $2 500 in a separate case for not having a septic tank and for other city code violations at his business, Hale said.

When he paid the fine, he enclosed a note with his check saying "Cowards," Hale said.

"We felt he was venting his frustration that he didn't get his way," Hale said of the note. "We didn't think he was going to do something like this."

- AP