RBC Detention Center bookings rise significantly in 2007

RBC — The Rio Blanco County Detention Center, located on the third floor of the courthouse in the heart of Meeker, operates at full capacity on average.
The detention center’s number of bookings rose 13.6 percent in 2007. The total number of bookings increased from 801 in 2006 to 910 in 2007, averaging 75.83 bookings per month and 2.49 bookings per day. The 18-bed facility averaged 17.89 inmates per day, with 15.94 male inmates and 1.95 female inmates per day. The highest daily inmate population was 27 inmates in the 18-bed facility. If there are any female inmates being housed, the other three cells become very crowded due to the lower female census occupying one cell.
The total number of inmates, including the total average population, male inmate population, female inmate population and high daily number population, was down from the 2006 inmate populations. In 2007, the detentions center prepared and served 17,228 meals, down from 18,899 in 2006. The cost of a meal rose from $1.22 in 2006 to $1.37 in 2007.
The amount billed for outside prisoner boarding, which includes Department of Corrections, work release and other jurisdictions, totaled $16,013 in 2007, down from $29,485 in 2006.
In other activity in the patrol division, Sergeant Patrick Darrow responded to a two-vehicle, non-injury accident at 6:14 p.m. Feb. 14 that occurred at 12000 County Rd. 5 in Meeker.
After investigation, it was determined that the 2007 Ford truck driven by Philip Chandler, 59, from Fruita, Colo., was traveling westbound through a right hand curve while a 2001 Dodge truck towing a trailer driver by Coe Uphoff, 27, from Meeker, Colo., was eastbound on the same curve. Chandler went into the eastbound lane directly in front of Uphoff. Even though Uphoff attempted to avoid the oncoming driver, Chandler struck Uphoff’s truck just behind the cab. As a result, Chandler’s truck spun around on the icy roadway, also striking the trailer. Both vehicles were disabled on the roadway and suffered extreme damage. The drivers were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the accident.
Deputy Clay Caldwell and Meeker Volunteer Fire and Rescue responded to the Shell Oil Shale site at 13000 County Rd. 24 in Meeker on Feb. 25. A 911 call was received by the Rio Blanco County Communications Center at 4:12 p.m. requesting an ambulance for a 50-year-old male who was having a seizure. The on-site Shell paramedic requested that the Careflight helicopter respond to the site along with the ambulance. A Meeker ambulance and the Careflight helicopter both arrived at the Shell site. The patient was airlifted to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction.