COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Two people accused of falsely reporting suspected explosives to police in Colorado Springs on Monday were arrested.
Police say they received the first call around 9:38 a.m. about a male with suspected explosive items before entering a business near Briargate Boulevard and Lexington Drive. Minutes later, a second caller reported a suspicious male at the same intersection mentioning explosives.
Colorado Springs patrol officers, the Regional Explosives Unit and the Real Time Crime Center drone support unit responded. The did a sweep of the area and businesses and included K-9 Wicket, an expert at detecting explosives.
No explosives, hazards or suspicious people were found in the area and businesses were told to operate as normal.
Investigators tried reaching back out to both callers but could not get a hold of them. A red light camera at the intersection helped detectives find a possible lead. A 30-minute time frame of camera footage was requested based on the information the callers provided during the specific and short timeline, police say.
No person matching the suspect description given was found on camera and police determined that the reports were false.
Detectives found connections between the callers and that they had court-ordered treatment obligations and a business. Police say evidence led them to believe they coordinated the fake emergencies to disrupt or avoid a scheduled appointment.
Police identified the suspects, Kevin Holod, 46, and Tamara Beasley, 45, who were briefly in the Colorado Springs area and connected to a specific vehicle.
Detectives used license plate technology to locate Holod and Beasley. They were found around 4:30 p.m. in a vehicle at a motel on N. Nevada Avenue near Austin Bluffs Parkway. They were detained, interviews and then arrested for false reporting of explosives, which is a felony.
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