Steamboat Man Faces Felony After Pulling Gun on Bikers

Steamboat Springs —The gravel crunches under tires on Village Drive just north of the Yampa River. It’s a quiet stretch of road in late July, the kind of evening where the heat lingers and neighbors might be walking bikes home from a ride. Then a white pickup truck tears down the lane, speeding past the shoulder.

Patrick Bushley, 27, didn’t just drive by. He stopped. He reversed. He pulled a black handgun from his driver’s seat and told two people he was going to kill them.

That’s the short version of the incident that landed Bushley in jail on Friday, July 31. The Steamboat Springs Police Department responded to reports of an armed person near the intersection of Columbine Drive and Village Drive. What they found was a road rage incident that escalated from a speeding complaint to a Class 5 felony charge.

The affidavit for arrest tells the story. A male and a female victim were walking their bikes along the northbound side of Village Drive, occupying the oncoming traffic lane. They saw the white pickup truck coming fast. They stepped onto the grass shoulder to avoid being hit.

The male victim shouted at the driver for speeding. That was the trigger.

The truck stopped, reversed, and Bushley yelled back, telling them to get out of the roadway. The male victim approached the passenger side window. He asked Bushley what his problem was. He asked if they were going to fight.

Bushley pulled the gun.

He didn’t point it directly at the victim. He just held it in his hand. Then he delivered the line that stuck: “I’m not going to fight you, I’m going to kill you.”

A young girl was reclined in the passenger seat. She started yelling when Bushley pulled the weapon. The male victim walked away. He said he was in fear for his life. He believed Bushley had the opportunity to point the weapon and shoot him.

The truck sped off toward Walton Creek Road. The victim noted the license plate. He gave that number, along with details on the truck’s appearance, to the responding officer. The officer confirmed Bushley’s identity.

Officers found the truck at Bushley’s residence. They approached the vehicle and saw the black handgun tucked between the driver’s seat and the center console. It was unsecured. It was in plain view.

Bushley and the female were walking on the sidewalk away from the home. They were taken into custody.

Bushley now faces three charges. Menacing with a weapon, a Class 5 felony. Prohibited use of a weapon, a misdemeanor. And knowingly and improperly storing a handgun in an unattended vehicle.

The storing charge is worth watching. The gun was in the truck. The truck was at his house. Officers found it there. But the charge specifies "unattended vehicle." The affidavit notes the gun was in plain view between the seat and console. It doesn't explicitly state the doors were locked or unlocked, but it was accessible.

The menacing charge carries more weight. A fifth-degree felony in Colorado can mean two to four years in prison. It’s not a slap on the wrist.

Locals walking bikes on Village Drive know the area. It’s a mix of residential homes and open space. People expect cars to drive, not to reverse aggressively and pull a pistol because someone told them they were going fast.

The male victim’s account is specific. He didn’t just see a gun; he heard the threat. He saw the girl. He noted the plate. He gave the details that led officers straight to Bushley’s driveway.

The affidavit paints a clear picture of escalation. Speeding. A shout. A stop. A reverse. A question. A gun. A threat. A flight.

Bushley is charged. The gun was found. The threat was recorded. The question now is whether the "unattended" part of the storing charge holds up if the truck was parked at his home, or if the prosecution will argue the vehicle was effectively his mobile office where he kept the weapon ready.

The Daily Sentinel reported the charges Tuesday. The Steamboat Pilot published the full affidavit. The facts are in the document. The rest is up to the courts.