The Grand Junction Police Department announced two arrests this week in separate serious incidents, including a fatal hit-and-run from mid-September and a stabbing that occurred late last month. On Thursday, Oct. 2, authorities announced the arrest of a 37-year-old man in connection with a deadly hit-and-run crash that claimed the life of an 18-year-old Grand Junction woman. Separately, the department arrested a 29-year-old man on Thursday for a Sept. 30 assault where a male sustained multiple stab wounds.
William Harrison, 37, was taken into custody on Thursday, Oct. 1, without incident, according to the Grand Junction Police Department. Harrison was booked into the Mesa County Detention Facility on charges that include two felony counts of vehicular homicide, a DUI misdemeanor, failure to remain at the scene after an accident that involved a death — a class-3 felony — and two additional misdemeanors. The arrest follows an investigation into a crash that occurred shortly before midnight on Sept. 13.
The Mesa County Coroner’s Office identified the victim of the fatal crash as Serenity Murphy, 18, of Grand Junction. Grand Junction Police Department officers received a report of a possible hit-and-run crash near Westland Avenue and D Road on Sept. 14 at approximately 12:10 a.m. Upon arrival, officers found an unconscious female lying on the sidewalk, with a scooter located in the bicycle lane near the curb. The Grand Junction Fire Department transported the female to the hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced deceased on the evening of Sept. 14.
Crash Investigators with the Grand Junction Police Department determined that the female had been riding a scooter in the bike lane shortly before the incident. While there were no witnesses to the crash, investigators developed a lead on a suspect vehicle. They located the vehicle and observed damage consistent with the crash. This evidence led to probable cause to charge Harrison, resulting in a warrant for his arrest. The investigation into this incident remains ongoing, and no additional information is available at this time.
In an unrelated incident, Noah Miller, 29, was arrested on Thursday by the Grand Junction Police Department in the area of 2525 Rimrock Avenue. Miller was taken into custody without incident and subsequently booked into the Mesa County Detention Facility. He faces charges of second-degree murder, first-degree assault with a deadly weapon, and felony menacing.
The arrest of Miller stems from an incident on Sept. 30. At approximately 9:30 p.m. that evening, officers responded to a report of an assault in the 2500 block of Riverside Parkway. Dispatchers with the Grand Junction Regional Communication Center had received a call concerning an adult male arriving at a local hospital with an apparent stab wound. Through their investigation, officers determined the male had been involved in a dispute with a person known to him. This dispute occurred on an island located south of River City Sportsplex. During the altercation, the suspect reportedly brandished a knife and stabbed the male multiple times. The victim sustained serious bodily injuries and was transported to the hospital in a personal vehicle. The investigation into this assault is also ongoing, and no further information is available at this time.
Under Colorado law, an arrest and the filing of criminal charges are formal accusations that an individual committed a crime. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
