Police arrested a 39-year-old man Tuesday who they believe maced and fatally shot another man at a Tesla supercharger station near Denver in May.
The arrest of Jeremy Smith, of Denver, comes after a monthslong investigation into the May 3 fatal shooting of 33-year-old Adam Fresquez at an Edgewater charging station. Police say the shooting was triggered by road rage.
Video evidence shows that the two Tesla drivers arrived at the supercharger station within seconds of each other, Edgewater police said in a news release. Once parked, Fresquez walked toward Smith’s Tesla and less than one minute later, Fresquez started to stumble. Smith then pulled out of the parking space and drove east.
Within minutes, Smith called 911 to report that he had maced and shot a person at the charging station after they “pulled a gun” on him.
Fresquez, a husband and father of two, was shot twice in the back, police said. He was taken to a hospital where he later died of his injuries.
Both men were armed and Fresquez had a gun inside his clothes near his groin, police said.
Edgewater Police Chief Eric Sonstegard said in a statement that his priority was to present a thorough and complete investigation.
“I recognize the tremendous toll that the long wait has taken on Adam’s family,” he said. “I am thankful to District Attorney (Alexis) King and her staff for their tremendous teamwork throughout this investigation and that they will be moving forward with a criminal prosecution.”
Smith faces second-degree murder and manslaughter charges and was booked into the Jefferson County jail. He appeared in court Wednesday morning and is scheduled to appear again Dec. 19 hearing.