On Wednesday, a Cortez resident who allegedly caused a high-profile police action three weeks ago was granted permission to travel out of state.
Charles Head was arrested Feb. 5, about 14 hours after Cortez police sent out an alert saying he was armed and posed a “significant threat” to his neighborhood on Balsam Street. He was released the same day, but was charged Feb. 14 with menacing, third-degree assault and prohibited use of a weapon.
On Wednesday, Montezuma County Court Judge JenniLynn Lawrence granted a request from his attorney to waive several of the conditions of his pretrial release.
Head has been accused of assaulting and threatening his wife, Cynthia Head, as well as possessing firearms while intoxicated.
Upon his initial release, Lawrence ordered him to turn over all guns and weapons in his home, and issued a non-harassing contact protection order for his wife. Head was also ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation and counseling, and was prohibited from drinking alcohol or traveling out of Colorado.
On Wednesday, Lawrence agreed to waive the last requirement after Head’s attorney said his job requires him to travel. He also said Cynthia Head had asked that her husband be allowed to continue working.
The prosecutor, Deputy District Attorney Matthew Margeson, said he did not consider Head a flight risk because he had no previous criminal record.
Lawrence also agreed to let Head take sobriety tests through his job, instead of through Montezuma County’s pretrial services department. But she said he must remain enrolled in counseling through Axis Health System.
Head’s next court appearance will be a disposition hearing, scheduled for March 21 at 2:30 p.m.
