Fugitive siblings captured after chase

PUEBLO, Colo. -- Three fugitive siblings wanted in a crime spree in Florida and Georgia were captured yesterday in Colorado after leading officers on a high-speed chase and crashing their car into a barrier on a highway, authorities said.

The trio -- Ryan Edward Dougherty, 21; Dylan Dougherty Stanley, 26; and Lee Grace Dougherty, 29 -- had been targets of a nationwide search after alleged crimes last week in which they were accused of shooting at a police car during a chase and robbing a bank with assault weapons. FBI Special Agent Steve Emmett confirmed that the three were in custody in Colorado.

No troopers were hurt during the high-speed chase on Interstate 25 on Wednesday, though the three siblings from Florida were being treated for unspecified injuries at a hospital in Walsenburg, Colo., officials said.

"Ladies and gentleman, I'm proud to say we won," said Pasco County, Fla., Sheriff Chris Nocco said at a news conference following their capture. "We continuously said that if these three fugitives wanted a battle with law enforcement, we would win that battle. And that's what happened today."

"It's uncommon that we would come across these three siblings who would have an arsenal and (are) not afraid to use it," he said.

Some of Nocco's deputies were expected to fly to Colorado yesterday night to interview the trio. The Colorado State Patrol said that a citizen tipped troopers at about 9 a.m. that the suspects were believed to be in Colorado City, about 25 miles north of Walsenburg. The vehicle was spotted a half-hour later at a campground near Colorado City.

The suspects fled before Pueblo County deputies arrived, but a deputy spotted the car at a gas station near I-25.

The car took off and a 20-mile chase ensued. Troopers deployed stop sticks north of Walsenburg, and the car crashed into a barrier, officials said.