Steamboat Springs Police arrested two local men for allegedly attempting to break into a Steamboat Springs home last week. 

According to the affidavit for arrest, Connor Impara, 27, and Chad O’Brien, 30, of Steamboat Springs were arrested last Wednesday and charged with criminal trespass in the first degree and criminal attempt to commit a felony, both felonies, as well as misdemeanor criminal tampering in the second degree.

A Steamboat Springs police officer responded to a report of a suspicious incident at a property on Old Fish Creek Falls Road on March 4 after the victim allegedly “reported being woken by loud banging and her dogs barking very late the night before,” states the affidavit. 

The victim then checked the footage on her Ring doorbell camera, where she allegedly “observed two males attempting to break into her home,” the affidavit continues. 

According to police, the footage showed Impara and O’Brien approaching the door of the home shortly before 1 a.m., where Impara appeared to reach for the door handle. Impara allegedly stated that “it might be the next one” before the men briefly walked away from the home. 

A few minutes later, the affidavit states, Impara is allegedly “seen approaching the door, partially out of view of the camera, and attempting to open it.” 

“There is a loud bang, after which (Impara) turns and walks away toward the street” as O’Brien is allegedly seen “walking down the side of the house toward the street,” the affidavit continues. 

Approximately two minutes later, the footage allegedly shows Impara “kicking the door with his right foot, going out of view” and “another loud bang is heard.” 

Impara then returns to the camera’s view and allegedly proceeds to hit the door “with his right elbow three times,” according to the affidavit. 

“O’Brien is seen coming out from behind the Jeep parked in the driveway after (Impara) kicked the door and was saying something inaudible,” states the affidavit, after which point Impara walks into the street and talks with O’Brien. 

The affidavit notes mud was found on the door aligning with the “approximate height of the elbow strikes” from Impara, as well as a “dent in the door below the door handle” that the victim said was not previously there. 

In the minutes following, Impara allegedly struck the door of the home, with the footage showing a nearby blue pickup truck, according to the affidavit.  

Approximately three hours later, the truck was found abandoned on U.S. Highway 40 outside the city limits. The truck was reported stolen later that morning, states the affidavit.

The officer spoke with the victim and neighbors, who all suspected the incident was related to the occupants of a nearby property on Old Fish Creek Falls Road. 

The affiant then showed the tenant of that property a photo of Impara and O’Brien, to which the tenant allegedly said he recognized Impara. The tenant, who also had a Ring camera, checked the footage and did not capture any evidence, according to the affidavit.

According to the affidavit, it appears that Impara and O’Brien attempted to break into a different house than they intended. The affidavit notes that Impara allegedly sent threatening messages to the roommate of the tenant of the home where he appeared to intend to break in concerning a relationship dispute. 

In subsequent interviews with the suspects, the affidavit notes that Impara said he had been consuming alcohol in the hours leading up to the incident. Impara also said he had no knowledge or memory of going to the house or the incident that occurred, states the affidavit. 

Impara appeared in court for an arraignment hearing Thursday, March 5 at 2 p.m., as did O’Brien for an advisement hearing. 

At both hearings, Routt County Judge Erin Wilson found probable cause for the first-degree criminal trespass charge and the criminal attempt to commit a felony, as well as the criminal tampering misdemeanor charge. 

Wilson noted that she found probable cause for O’Brien’s charges based on the “theory of complicity.”

Wilson granted Impara a personal recognizance bond of $2,500 and issued a mandatory protection order requiring Impara to stay away from both the victim and the individual with whom Impara had the alleged relationship dispute. 

Wilson granted O’Brien a $1,500 personal recognizance bond and also issued a mandatory protection order. 

Both men are scheduled to appear in court for a bond hearing on Tuesday, March 17 at 10 a.m.