Originally published on BrightON Standard Blade
It was an eventful afternoon and evening for the Brighton Police Department Aug. 3.
In one of two responses, officers found the body of a 42-year-old male in a lake near Bridge and Telluride streets around 2 p.m. There were no obvious signs of injury or trauma, a department press release said. The name is being withheld. An investigation is ongoing.
Around the same time, a situation unfolded at 61 S. 17th Avenue Drive. A department press release says drug detectives arrived on scene in hazmat suits around 2 p.m., although neighborhood residents said they saw them there earlier.
Adams County sheriff’s deputies were originally on scene serving an eviction. In the process, deputies came across what they thought was a methamphetamine lab. Deputies then called the North Metro Drug Task Force, which responded with the Brighton Fire Department.
At around 3:30 p.m., law enforcement agents evacuated residents from about a dozen houses surrounding the house under investigation. The evacuated residents knew very little about the situation, including the last name of the neighbor whose house was under question. Several neighbors said they’ve known the man for years, but have always called him, “the Chad.” The department press release later identified the man as 46-year-old Chad Geshwell.
The situation escalated. Drug detectives found chemicals not commonly found in meth labs, leading them to call in the Adams County Sheriff’s Office bomb squad. The squad arrived on scene around 4:30 p.m. The bomb squad’s initial sweep found the mysterious chemicals as not explosive.
Officers arrested Geschwell, who’s now being held at the Adams County Detention Center. The department recommended five charges — possession of dangerous weapons, unlawful possession of controlled substance, child abuse and reckless endangerment possession of controlled substance-special offender to the Adams County District Attorney. The department press release didn’t specify which dangerous weapons Geschwell had.
A department tweet at 6:20 p.m. said the evacuated residents were allowed to return to their homes.
