GRAND JUNCTION, CO — A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with a violent kidnapping and assault on New Year’s Eve has been arrested in Kansas.
On December 31, 2025, at approximately 10:30 p.m., Grand Junction Police officers responded to the area of N 12th Street and Village Center Way following reports of a woman screaming and a man laughing. Arriving officers located female clothing in the roadway but could not find the involved parties.
Shortly after, a caller reported that a woman with visible injuries had run into a business in the 600 block of Horizon Drive. The woman stated that a known male had a gun and was trying to kill her.
The victim reported to police that the suspect picked her up in his vehicle, struck her in the face, pointed a gun at her, and refused to let her leave. She was able to escape when the vehicle stopped near N 12th Street. The woman was transported to the hospital with serious bodily injuries.
On January 1, 2026, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Bryan Groehler, 35. He was successfully located and arrested on February 21, 2026, by a deputy with the Washington County Kansas Sheriff’s Office.
The Grand Junction Police Department is currently coordinating with the Mesa County District Attorney’s Office and Kansas authorities to extradite Groehler back to Mesa County. He faces the following charges:
- 2nd Degree Kidnapping
- 1st Degree Assault
- Felony Menacing
- Possession of a Weapon by Previous Offender
- Prohibited Use of a Firearm
- Domestic Violence