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Colorado man bitten by pet Gila monster dead days later

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Colorado man bitten by pet Gila monster dead days later


File image of a Gila Monster, Saguaro National Park, Arizona. Getty Images

A Colorado man has died after being bitten by his pet Gila monster

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The bite happened on Feb. 12 when the man’s girlfriend heard something that “didn’t sound right” coming from the other room. She went to check and saw the lizard latched onto the hand of 34-year-old Christopher Ward, according to a report from local animal control.

She told the Lakewood Police Department that Ward “immediately began exhibiting symptoms, vomiting several times and eventually passing out and ceasing to breathe,” the report said.

Ward was placed on life support in a hospital. Within days, doctors had declared him brain dead.

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Ward’s girlfriend handed over the lizard named Winston and another named Potato to Lakewood animal control the day after the bite.

Ward’s girlfriend reportedly told officers they bought Winston at a reptile exhibition in Denver in October and Potato from a breeder in Arizona in November, according to the animal control officer’s report. Told that Gila monsters were illegal in Lakewood, a suburb of Denver, the woman told officers she wanted them out of her house as soon as possible, the report said.

Officers working with the Colorado Department of Natural Resources sent the lizards to Reptile Gardens outside Rapid City, South Dakota. 

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Twenty-six spiders of different species also were taken from the home to a nearby animal shelter.

What are Gila monsters?

The Gila monster is the largest lizard found in the United States, according to the National Park Service.

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It can grow up to about 22 inches long and weigh about a pound, and is known for its bead-like scales in pink, orange, salmon or yellowish color patterns.

The carnivores live in the desert and spend most of their time underground. They’re found primarily in Arizona and Mexico, but can also be found in the extreme southeastern corner of California, the southern tip of Nevada, and the southwestern corners of Utah and New Mexico.

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Gila monster bite

The Gila monster is one of only a few venomous lizards in the world. 

Gila monster venom is about as toxic as that of a western diamondback rattlesnake, according to the Smithsonian National Zoo

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When Gila monsters bite, which is rare, a relatively small amount of venom is introduced from the lower jaw. But the lizard is known to latch on for a longer period of time and begin to “chew” as to introduce more venom. 

It’s unclear how long the pet Gila monster was latched on for when it bit Ward. 

NPS says a reasonably healthy adult will probably not be killed by a bite, but young children and people with other medical concerns might be vulnerable.

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The local coroner declined to comment to The Associated Press about Ward’s death, including whether tests showed if Ward died from the pet’s venom or from some other medical condition.

This story was reported from Detroit. The Associated Press contributed. 



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Colorado

I-70 closed near Vail, Silverthorne for safety concerns, weather hazards

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I-70 closed near Vail, Silverthorne for safety concerns, weather hazards


Interstate 70 closed near Vail and Silverthorne on Sunday for “safety concerns” as snow battered the Colorado mountains, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.

The eastbound interstate was closed between Exit 180 for East Vail and Exit 190 for Vail Pass Summit, about 1 mile west of Copper Mountain, as of 6 p.m. Sunday, CDOT officials said.

CDOT cameras in the area of the closure showed snow-covered roads and white-out conditions.

Westbound I-70 was also closed at 6 p.m. Sunday between Exit 216 for U.S. 6 near Loveland Pass and Exit 205 for Colorado 9 near Silverthorne, according to CDOT.

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Multiple Waze users reported “weather hazards” in both closed sections of I-70.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Get more Colorado news by signing up for our daily Your Morning Dozen email newsletter.



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Shedeur Sanders shoves referee, ‘lucky’ to avoid ejection as frustrations boil over in Colorado loss

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Shedeur Sanders shoves referee, ‘lucky’ to avoid ejection as frustrations boil over in Colorado loss


There was certainly a scenario Saturday night where Colorado would’ve needed to navigate the final 20 minutes of its upset loss to Kansas without star quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

Sanders, the son of Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders and a projected top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, shoved referee Kevin Mar after taking a sack on third down with Colorado trailing by nine in the third quarter, and he was “lucky” that didn’t result in an ejection, Fox rules analyst Mike Pereira said on the broadcast.

Shedeur Sanders shoved a referee during Colorado’s loss to Kansas on Nov. 23. Screengrab via X/@CFBONFOX

“There’s no question that he does,” Pereira said when asked about Sanders shoving Mar. “Look, I get why he’s upset because people are almost climbing over him after he was down, but, you know, the officials can use their hands all they want to try to keep order. But you cannot come back as a player and push an official. 

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“In the chaos, the officials don’t see it, but he’s lucky that he wasn’t ejected from the game.”

After the sack, Sanders approached Mar from behind — who was surrounded by a cluster of players — and shoved the longtime official with his right arm.

Shedeur Sanders reacts during Colorado’s loss to Kansas on Nov. 23. Screengrab via X/@CFBONFOX

By that point, three other referees had moved closer to the scuffle and attempted to separate the players and Sanders while protecting Mar.

Sanders, who finished 23 of 29 for 266 yards and three touchdowns during No. 16 Colorado’s 37-21 loss, wasn’t penalized on the play, but his frustrations had started to boil over.

The game featured plenty of physical hits, with Colorado’s College Football Playoff hopes at stake and Kansas attempting to claw its way toward becoming bowl eligible.

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At one point in the first half, defensive end Dean Miller lowered his head and flung himself toward Sanders’ knees while he attempted a pass.

“I mean, I just don’t know how that’s legal overall,” Sanders told reporters after the game when asked about Miller’s hit. “I ain’t understand that, but, you know, it is what it is. There was a couple plays like that.”

Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders looks to pass against Kansas on Nov. 23, 2024. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

The Buffaloes trailed 17-0 at one point but managed to trim its deficit to two points early in the third quarter, when Travis Hunter — also projected as a top pick in the upcoming NFL draft — and Sanders connected on a touchdown pass.

But Devin Neal accounted for the final two touchdowns, providing the Jayhawks with some cushion and ensuring Colorado was on its way to ending the night in a four-way tie atop the Big 12 standings.

Deion said after the game that Colorado had become “intoxicated with the success.”

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“We started smelling ourselves a little bit,” Deion said, according to ESPN. “… We got intoxicated with the multitude of articles and the assumption that we’re this and the assumption that we’re that. And we did not play CU football. Therefore, we got our butts kicked. It is what it is.”



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Keene, Donelson help Fresno State beat Colorado State 28-22

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Keene, Donelson help Fresno State beat Colorado State 28-22


Associated Press

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — Mikey Keene threw two touchdown passes, Bryson Donelson had a career-high 150 yards rushing and a TD on 13 carries Saturday night and Fresno State beat Colorado State 28-22.

Colorado State (7-4, 5-1 Mountain West) fell into a tie for second with No. 24 UNLV in the conference standings behind No. 12 Boise State — which will host the Mountain West championship game on Dec. 6.

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Donelson, a freshman, went into the game with 199 yards rushing this season, including his previous season high of 58 yards in the season opener. Keene was 20-of-28 passing for 181 yards with no interceptions. Mac Dalena finished with seven receptions for 75 yards and a touchdown for Fresno State (6-5, 4-3 Mountain West Conference).

Justin Marshall capped a 12-play, 77-yard opening drive that took nearly 6 1/2 minutes off the clock with a 10-yard TD for the Rams and finished with 94 yards rushing.

Donelson ran for a 21 yards and Keene hit Raylen Sharpe for a 38-yard gain to set up a 16-yard TD run by Donelson to make it 7-7. Joshua Wood followed with a 4-yard scoring run before Dalena caught a 28-yard touchdown pass with 3:18 left in the second quarter and Keene hit Jalen Moss for a 15-yard TD less than 3 minutes later that gave the Bulldogs a 28-7 lead at halftime.

Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi ran for a 9-yard TD late in the third quarter, threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Jamari Person and then hit Vince Brown II for the 2-point conversion to trim Colorado State’s deficit to 28-22 with 17 seconds left.

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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football




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