Cortez Woman Faces Charges After Fatal Motorcycle Crash
Cortez, CO – A woman was arrested following a fatal crash involving a motorcycle on Tuesday afternoon at Hawkins Street and East Main Street.
Authorities said Shandine H. John, 33, was taken into custody shortly after the incident, which occurred around 4 p.m. Police responded to multiple 911 calls reporting the collision, where a male motorcyclist was found on the ground and receiving CPR from bystanders. The victim’s identity has not been released pending family notification.
Prior to the crash, dispatch received a REDDI report concerning a black Dodge Ram 1500 suspected of being driven by intoxicated individuals, leaving a nearby Dairy Queen. Investigators reported significant damage to both the truck and the motorcycle, which was found on its side.
According to the arrest affidavit, John initially provided conflicting statements but later admitted, “It was me,” and acknowledged having consumed “three, no, four beers” shortly before the crash. Witnesses gave varying accounts of the incident, with one identifying John as the driver and others mentioning an unknown male and a blond female exiting the vehicle after the crash.
A breath test conducted at the Cortez Police Department revealed John’s blood alcohol content to be 0.285. She was subsequently taken to Southwest Memorial Hospital for a blood draw before being booked into the Montezuma County Detention Center.
John faces charges including vehicular homicide and DUI-related offenses. Her bond is set at $200,000, and she is scheduled for a court appearance on April 7 at 9:30 a.m. in Montezuma Combined Courts. Records indicate she has a prior DUI charge from March 2025.