Douglas County sheriff's deputies stop stolen car before collision with pedestrians

Douglas County Sheriff's Office deputies stopped a driver in a stolen car from colliding with a group of pedestrians in a King Soopers parking lot. Shortly before noon on Monday, deputies spotted the stolen vehicle in the grocery store parking lot at Highlands Ranch Parkway and University Boulevard.

A deputy saw a male and a female getting into the vehicle. When the deputy turned on his emergency lights, the male driver backed out of the parking space and went in reverse in what deputies called "a high rate of speed toward a group of pedestrians in the parking lot."

While that was happening, a deputy in the next aisle drove his patrol car into the path of the stolen car and blocked the pedestrians from being hit. The driver of the stolen car crashed into the patrol car.

The driver and passenger were taken into custody without incident. The driver has been identified as Joseph Blodgett, 29, of Denver and is facing several charges including reckless endangerment, motor vehicle theft, eluding, shoplifting, drug possession, and driving without a valid license.

The passenger has been identified as Amanda Conklin, 39, from Littleton. Deputies said she had a stolen Colorado driver's license and faces charges related to motor vehicle, identity theft, and criminal possession of an ID document.