WALSENBURG, Colo. – One of three fugitive siblings accused in a series of crimes across multiple states pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges stemming from their eventual capture in Colorado.
Lee Grace Dougherty, 29, entered her plea in the southern Colorado city where she and her two brothers were captured Aug. 10 after a chase and what authorities say was a shootout.
The Pueblo Chieftain reported that Dougherty appeared in shackles, wearing a jail jumpsuit and her hair in braids. A judge scheduled a two-week trial for her starting Feb. 21.
The siblings were accused of robbing a bank in Georgia and shooting at police officers in Florida and Colorado. They were also suspected of two car thefts in Utah.
They face five counts each of attempted second-degree murder and first-degree assault, as well as other felony charges in Colorado related to the chase that ended when they crashed their car on Interstate 25.
Investigators say Dougherty ran from the crash and was shot by Walsenburg police chief James Chamberlain after she pointed a gun at him. According to an arrest affidavit, Dougherty later told authorities that she "deserved to get shot."
According to the document, when asked about gunfire heard during the chase, she said the siblings weren't trying to hurt anyone and just wanted officers to get back.
Last month, Colorado Springs police Det. Larry Dyer testified that the youngest sibling — 21-year-old Ryan Edward Dougherty — told him the crime spree was hatched the day after he was sentenced to register as a sex offender. Ryan Edward Dougherty allegedly said the trio planned to rob a bank in Georgia and use the money to flee to Mexico to get fraudulent documents.
He and his 26-year-old brother, Dylan Stanley-Dougherty, were scheduled for a disposition hearing on Nov. 28.
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Information from: The Pueblo Chieftain, http://www.chieftain.com
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