GLADE PARK, Colo. — On Oct. 20, 2025, around 5:00 p.m., Mesa County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to assist the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) with a disturbance near Fruita Reservoir Three.
According to MCSO, a USFS ranger found a man near a car concealed in bushes off MS Road with an infant inside. The man appeared to be in an altered mental state, and his off-leash dog reportedly attacked the ranger as she worked to secure the scene. The man then re-entered the vehicle and sped away. A BLM ranger responding to the area encountered the vehicle driving erratically and was almost hit head-on.
Deputies arrived shortly after and located the man walking out of a wooded area carrying the infant. He was taken into custody, and the infant was reunited with the custodial mother.
The suspect was identified as Nathaniel Adam Casper, 30, of Grand Junction. Casper was transported to the Mesa County Detention Facility on the following charges:
- Child Abuse — Knowingly/Recklessly — No Injury (M2)
- Unlawful Ownership of Dangerous Dog (M3)
- Obstructing Government Operations (M2)
- Reckless Driving (Traffic Offense 2)
- Driving Under Restraint — Alcohol (Traffic Offense 2)
MCSO thanked USFS and BLM rangers for their assistance.
This article is related to a previous incident: Vehicle Pursuit, Area of S 16 1/2 Rd & J S Road Glade Park