The Colorado man accused of hijacking three cars and leading authorities on a 100-mph chase was charged Wednesday with attempted murder and two dozen other counts that could land him in prison for almost a century.
Ryan Cole Stone, 28, made his initial appearance in 18th District Court in Castle Rock. He waived a reading of the charges and was scheduled for a preliminary hearing May 29.
Prosecutors allege that Stone is the man who stole a sport utility vehicle at a gas station in Longmont with a 4-year-old boy and his teddy bear inside on the morning of March 12.
That triggered an Amber Alert and set off an hourlong chase during which the man carjacked two other vehicles, rammed several more cars and ran over a state trooper — as horrified Coloradans watched much of it on live TV.
The man eventually slammed into a car in Lone Tree, 45 miles away, and was arrested as he tried to scale a fence.
Stone was charged with first-degree attempted murder for allegedly running over state Trooper Bellaman Hee, who was seriously injured.
He was also charged with assault, second-degree kidnapping, three counts of aggravated motor vehicle theft, two counts of child abuse and 19 related counts, such as robbery and leaving the scene of a crime.
If he's convicted, Stone could face 96 years in prison.
