DENVER (KDVR) — A Northglenn man was arrested after he allegedly impersonated a public servant and assaulted a female hiker.
According to the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, deputies received a call on July 25 from a woman who said she was assaulted near the area of Caribou Road and Forest Service Road 505 outside of Nederland.
The woman said she was hiking when a man driving in what she called a “search and rescue” vehicle offered her a ride to a different trail in the area. At the time, she said she believed he was part of the official search and rescue organization. The victim told deputies the man sexually and physically assaulted her.
She was able to leave and called the sheriff’s office immediately.
The victim described the man as:
- White
- In his 50s
- Bald
- Had a mostly gray beard
- Wore a green collared shirt styled to look like a search and rescue uniform
Based on the victim’s statement, detectives obtained an arrest warrant for 50-year-old William Tidwell of Northglenn. Tidwell was arrested on Aug. 7 by the Idaho Springs Police Department.
Now, deputies believe there could be additional victims.
If you were a victim or a witness and want to share information, please contact Detective Garrett Eastman with the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office at 303-441-3633.
If you or a loved one has experienced sexual assault, the National Sexual Assault Hotline is available at 1-800-656-4673 (HOPE) or through an online chat with a trained specialist, through a chatbot and on an app.
