A Cody man is facing a felony and multiple misdemeanors after his vehicle took out a fence in a residential neighborhood.
The incident occurred Tuesday night at the corner of Peake Avenue and 20th Street. A vehicle lost control and swerved onto the curb, taking out over 10 feet of wooden fencing around a residential home.
Aaron Allan Paulson, 39, was arrested at 12:14 a.m. Wednesday by Cody police and charged with felony property destruction over $1,000 and four misdemeanors, including criminal trespass and reckless driving.
The homeowner, who was not there at the time and declined to be interviewed or identified, initially informed Cowboy State Daily of the arrest.
A Big Boom
Cody resident Ken Straniere, who lives across the street, was putting his kids to bed around 9 p.m. Tuesday when he heard what sounded like an accident outside.
“I heard a large boom, like somebody was hauling something very heavy behind their car,” he said. “When someone hauling a trailer comes to a full stop, and they accelerate quickly, it makes that big bang.”
Straniere stepped outside to see if any vehicles had been hit. He didn’t see any damage, and because it was already dark, he continued with his evening.
It wasn’t until Wednesday morning that he realized what happened. No vehicles were damaged, but his neighbor’s fence had been demolished.
“I could not believe the damage and amount of fence that had been destroyed,” he said. “I quickly looked at our security camera to see what we could see, but unfortunately, because it occurred across the street, we didn’t record anything.”
One piece of evidence was left at the scene: A small piece of blue plastic with a shard of wood thrust through it. The driver left it behind while fleeing the scene.
Based on what he heard and saw, Straniere said he believed a trailer behind a vehicle might have caused the accident, rather than the vehicle itself. Based on the extent of the damage, it probably fishtailed out of control.
Leave A Note
Paulson was arrested at a Maverik gas station at the corner of Stampede Avenue and 17th Street, less than a half-mile from the destroyed fence.
In addition to the other charges, Paulson was also hit with “duty upon colliding with unattended vehicle or property.
Wyoming Statutes Title 31, Chapter 5, Article 11 covers motor vehicle accidents.
Section 31-5-1104 states that any driver who is involved in an accident involving an unattended vehicle or property “shall immediately stop and shall immediately either locate and notify the operator or owner of the vehicle or other property.”
If the operator or owner can’t be located, the driver must leave a written note “in a conspicuous place.” The driver must provide their name, address, and the registration number of their vehicle.
Failing to do so can result in a misdemeanor.
He also received a misdemeanor for failing to maintain compulsory auto insurance, bringing the total to one felony and four misdemeanors.
As of Wednesday, Paulson was incarcerated at the Park County Detention Center.
Straniere was relieved nobody was hurt and no vehicles were damaged, but he felt this incident was a natural consequence of a problem he’s been trying to solve with the City of Cody.
“I have petitioned no less than three times to the city to get a three-way stop sign there,” he said. “It is a one-way stop sign on Peake Avenue now, and people are blowing past that stop sign and flying down the road.”
Straniere said he believes additional stop signs would make the neighborhood safer for pedestrians and families.
“This may serve as a final plea to the city to finally protect our children,” he said. “There are a dozen kids that are constantly playing on our property, right on that corner.
"This could have been a tragedy if it had occurred during the daylight hours.”
Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.
