Free Charlie Toups!

[snoseek]

I've seen this guy around a lot! He is pretty hard to miss around Loveland. Great guy that happens to get the long hard government shaft.



http://www.denverpost.com/ci_14158633

http://www.facebook.com/pages/FREE-CHARLIE-TOUPS/271432130521?ref=nf



I guess he hasn't missed too many powder days yet....

 

[BeanoNYC]

In Jail For Ski Bumming

Sad Story...

http://www.denverpost.com/skireport/ci_14158633

 

[dmc]

Sad Story...

http://www.denverpost.com/skireport/ci_14158633

Does suck... A friend of mine met that guy a few years ago when he was RV bumming out west... Good stories...

 

[polski]

I can see the argument that if you let one person live in parking lots on public land you set a bad precedent (even if in this case it apparently had been in place for years), but the way this is being handled sure seems likes a waste of our federal tax dollars. Maybe some good will come out of it though and with the publicity this guy will end up with a better living situation. I see in comments on the Free Charlie Toups FB page that someone has offered him room/board. Sounds like he's had no problem responsibly holding down a job (shoveling, bootpacking for avy control) as long as it allowed him to ski.

 

[gmcunni]

apparently he has the ability to free himself by pleading guilty..... just saying....

 

[polski]

I can't fault a guy for standing on principle and refusing that offer when he thinks he shouldn't have been arrested in the first place. Hard saying without having been there but the assault charge in particular sounds like a stretch.

 

[happyjack]

apparently he has the ability to free himself by pleading guilty..... just saying....

yeah...pleading guilty to assaulting a law enforcement officer??? no thanks...that's one i would not want on my record either. would definitely come back to haunt him given the lifestyle he has chosen to lead.

 

[gmcunni]

yeah...pleading guilty to assaulting a law enforcement officer??? no thanks...that's one i would not want on my record either. would definitely come back to haunt him given the lifestyle he has chosen to lead.

the dude is 63 and living in a car.. he doesn't have a lot of ski days left.

 

[dmc]

just another attack on our great ski culture...

Chipping away at it... bit by bit...

Soon it's going to be all yuppies bitching about people carving on empty trail, complaining about sketchy pro forms or getting crazy and drinking...

lame...

 

[polski]

the dude is 63 and living in a car.. he doesn't have a lot of ski days left.

Ya never know. Obviously he gets a lot of exercise and lives a simple life. If he doesn't have a substance abuse problem he could have plenty of years in him.

In any event, that's all irrelevant to the notion of innocent-until-proven-guilty. The gov't hasn't proven anything yet. In fact some claims like the "PTSD" thing have a heavy stench of BS to them IMO - again, going by this one news account, that is.

 

[gmcunni]

If he doesn't have a substance abuse problem he could have plenty of years in him.

from the article:

When officers searched his pockets, according to Lunders' testimony, they found "misdemeanor level paraphernalia and marijuana.

;-)

 

[polski]

winkie duly noted, but, without getting into a whole 'nother discussion, I was mainly thinking alcohol here.

 

[deadheadskier]

Guess he should be ski bumming in Breck. One less charge to worry about.

Overall, pretty ridiculous. What did say? Been in jail for 57 days? If I were a local tax payer, I'd be FURIOUS.

 

[polski]

Overall, pretty ridiculous. What did say? Been in jail for 57 days? If I were a local tax payer, I'd be FURIOUS.

It's US Forest Service and possible federal prison sentence so I think we're all paying for this.

 

[deadheadskier]

well then I'm PISSED :lol:

 

[bvibert]

Hard saying without having been there but the assault charge in particular sounds like a stretch.

Sounds like a big stretch to me, based on what's in the article.

 

[witch hobble]

the dude is 63 and living in a car.. he doesn't have a lot of ski days left.

Hate to say it, but a reasonably healthy and fit 63 year old skiing every day has a very good chance of more ski days than a 40 year old with a M-F 9-5.

 

[darent]

sure sounds like someone in law enforcment had him in his or her sights. lets make an example.IT is not like he wasn't known, why now?

 

[bvibert]

He's free!

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_14196290