A man who was arrested by the Aurora Police Department in connection with a shooting last weekend on Interstate 225 is being held in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody on possible federal charges.
Celin Villeda Orellana, 38, was arrested Thursday by members of the Aurora Police Department’s Fugitive Apprehension & Narcotics Unit on charges of attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault, menacing and illegal discharge of a firearm, all felonies, according to a department news release.
Police said Orellana was arrested during a traffic stop near the intersection of 11th Avenue and Havana Street in Aurora. Following the traffic stop, an investigation revealed Orellana, who is a Honduran national, was making plans to flee the country, police said.
In consultation with Homeland Security Investigations, Orellana was taken into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody on possible federal charges.
“This case is a clear example of why our partnership with Homeland Security Investigations and ICE is so critical,” Aurora police Chief Todd Chamberlain said in a news release.
“Without their cooperation, we would not have the ability to hold this dangerous individual accountable for his actions here in Aurora,” he said. “The criminal nexus between his immigration status and the violent crime he committed allowed us to take lawful action to ensure he remains in custody today.”
Chamberlain is hosting a news conference about the arrest and the department’s coordination with Homeland Security investigators at noon Friday.
Orellana’s arrest stems from an incident at 1:14 a.m. Saturday, when Aurora patrol officers responded to reports of a single-vehicle crash on I-225 near East Sixth Avenue.
When officers arrived at the scene, they discovered the vehicle had collided with the jersey barrier.
The driver had multiple gunshot wounds, which led to the crash. The man was taken to a hospital, where he remains with life-threatening injuries.
Using Flock Safety cameras equipped with license-plate readers, Aurora police investigators were able to identify a suspect vehicle.
Orellana was later identified as the registered owner and as the suspect in the shooting, police said.
Orellana was previously deported in 2007, 2018 and 2020. The 2020 deportation came after Orellana was arrested in Denver on child sexual assault charges involving a victim under the age of 15.
Orellana is in ICE custody pending federal charges. Formal charges for Saturday’s shooting will be filed by the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-STOP (7867). Tipsters can remain anonymous and could be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
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