GREELEY — The man accused of driving through a crowd of people at a pro-police and Trump rally in Eaton last summer, will stand trial for actions that day that prosecutors say were an attempt to kill multiple people, including children.
Isaiah Cordova’s attorney Robert Ray told the court Friday morning that he and the Weld County District Attorney’s office “agreed to disagree” as it pertained to any possible plea arrangements. In April, after Ray implied a plea arrangement was likely, Weld District Court Judge Julie Hoskins scheduled Cordova for a disposition hearing Friday.
Disposition hearings are the legal proceeding for finalizing plea agreements.
However, it appears the prosecution did not offer a satisfactory agreement, as Ray asked to have a preliminary hearing set for the 22-year-old.
Cordova’s will now appear at 11 a.m. on Aug 27th for that hearing. It will be one year on July 25th that witnesses say Cordova drove his SUV through a crowded park in Eaton.
Cordova was initially arrested in July 2020 on seven counts of first-degree assault, seven counts of felony menacing, and one count of reckless driving. The charges came after Cordova was accused of jumping curbs and driving through a park nearly hitting more than a dozen people, including four young children.
On Jan. 6, the DA’s office amended the charges to seven counts of second-degree assault causing injury with a deadly weapon, felony menacing with a weapon, seven counts of attempted murder with extreme indifference and an “enhancer” charge of committing a violent crime with a weapon.
The rally, which ran along Collins St. just west of U.S. 85 in the northern Weld County community of Eaton started at 3 p.m. and drew at least 300 people with flags, signs, and music. The rally was organized by the Northern Colorado Young Republicans and was the largest to date in Weld County. Previous rallies in Greeley, Evans and in front of the Weld Sheriff’s Office had all been peaceful.
About 30 minutes in, however, Cordova was seen in a red SUV and began taunting the crowd driving east along Collins yelling and flipping off supporters.
Eaton resident Carlee Hauska and her two young children saw the man drive by the first time, but she thought he gave up as she crossed the street to let her children play with other children in the grassy area on the south side of the street. Hauska said her two boys and a neighbor boy were running into the grass when she heard glass shatter.
“I turned to look what was going on and heard him squeal his tires and turn around to face Heritage Market,” Hauska said. “He just floored it and went into the grass.”
Hauska said her heart sank as she watched the three boys ages 3, 7 and 9 running toward the path of the SUV.
“I just ran and scooped up the kids and saw him turn around again into the grass,” Hauska said. “I’ve never been so scared of something. It’s something you only see in a movie. Just two minutes earlier and they would have been right there.”
Fortunately for Hauska, her boys were all OK, but the driver of the SUV wasn’t finished, as he continued west on the grass into the park, before turning back north to exit onto the sidewalk and Collins St. and head back west, this time nearly hitting a family of 11, who drove from Fort Lupton to participate.
Cordova has a history of protesting and contempt for both President Trump and his supporters, as well as law enforcement according to his social media profile.
Cordova is currently free on a $5,000 bond.
