A Colorado career criminal who led police on a high-speed chase at speeds exceeding 100 mph was sentenced to prison after officers found him hiding under a porch in only his underwear. The arrest followed a year in which he repeatedly cycled in and out of jail.
Zakary Dean Hirschfield received a five-year prison sentence for the pursuit, which crossed multiple communities in Colorado’s Douglas County on January 15.
Hirschfield fled in his SUV during a routine traffic stop, nearly striking the Douglas County deputy who pulled him over. He then sped across the county for more than an hour.
“He’s taking off. He just tried to hit me,” the deputy reported over the radio, according to body-camera footage released by officials. A passenger inside the SUV could also be heard yelling.
During the pursuit, the Sheriff’s Office said Hirschfield drove dangerously, crossed the median, merged into oncoming traffic and reached speeds of 100 mph.
Police eventually located Hirschfield with help from officers, a K9 team and drones. He was discovered hiding beneath a porch while wearing nothing but his underwear.
“Don’t run from our deputies. We will catch you and hold you accountable,” Sheriff Darren Weekly said. “This defendant learned that the hard way and is now headed to prison. Putting our deputies and the public at risk will not be tolerated in Douglas County.”
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Hirschfield was sprawled on the ground as officers handcuffed him, with nearly a dozen law enforcement personnel surrounding the partially clothed suspect.
After his capture, police said they found cocaine and drug paraphernalia inside his vehicle.
“Some criminals seem to think the rules don’t apply to them, and they can simply run from the law when they’re caught,” 23rd Judicial District Attorney George Brauchler said. “Hirschfield put a deputy, his own passenger, and countless innocent motorists in danger because he refused to stop. He now has five years to realize he picked the wrong county from which to run from the law.”
The 24-year-old repeat offender had a lengthy criminal record and was on probation in neighboring Arapahoe County for a “big time drug distribution felony.” Brauchler said Hirschfield had secured a plea agreement that reduced the punishment to “straight probation.”
Hirschfield continued getting into trouble during the first eight months of probation. Although his probation was revoked, he was later placed back on probation, Brauchler said.
The repeat offender was arrested in Jefferson County in August 2025 on an alleged robbery charge. He was released on a personal recognizance bond and remained out on that bond when he was arrested following the January pursuit.
“You come down to this jurisdiction to run, we just don’t give up,” Brauchler said after Hirschfield was sentenced, commending the work of the sheriff’s department and his office.
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