Wellington Man Arrested on Assault, Hate Crime Charges After Hotel Stabbing

A Wellington man faces felony assault and hate crime charges after allegedly stabbing another man during an argument at a hotel on October 15, according to the Larimer County Sheriff's Office.

Dominic Alley, 30, was arrested and booked into the Larimer County Jail following the incident in the 7800 block of 6th Street in Wellington. The victim sustained non-life threatening lacerations and was transported to an area hospital.

Deputies received a 911 call shortly before 5 p.m. reporting the stabbing. The caller told dispatchers that two men had been arguing in the hotel lobby when Alley stabbed the victim, according to the sheriff's office.

Deputies arrived quickly and located both the victim and suspect, who had separated. Witnesses at the scene reported that Alley made derogatory racial comments during the initial argument.

Three Felony Charges Filed

The Larimer County Court issued Alley a $75,000 cash or surety bond following his arrest on three felony charges: second degree assault causing injury with a deadly weapon, bias motivated crime with bodily injury, and felony menacing.

Second degree assault with a deadly weapon is a class 4 felony under Colorado Revised Statutes § 18-3-203. When designated as a crime of violence, as typically occurs when a deadly weapon is involved, the charge carries a mandatory prison sentence of 5 to 16 years and fines ranging from $2,000 to $500,000, according to Colorado sentencing guidelines.

The bias motivated crime charge, also a class 4 felony under CRS § 18-9-121, applies when someone knowingly causes bodily injury to another person because of their actual or perceived race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability or sexual orientation. Standard class 4 felony sentencing ranges from 2 to 6 years in prison with fines of $2,000 to $500,000.

Felony menacing, a class 5 felony under CRS § 18-3-206, involves knowingly placing or attempting to place another person in fear of imminent serious bodily injury through threat or physical action. When a deadly weapon is involved, the charge carries 1 to 3 years in prison and fines of $1,000 to $100,000.

Bond Amount Reflects Violent Nature

The $75,000 bond represents the higher end of typical amounts set for class 4 and 5 felony charges in Larimer County, though it falls within the possible range for violent felonies involving weapons or community safety concerns.

For cash bonds, the full amount must be paid and is returned if all court appearances are made. Surety bonds allow defendants to work with licensed bail bondsmen who post the full bond amount for a nonrefundable fee of typically 10 percent, or $7,500 in this case.

Bond amounts for class 4 felonies in Colorado typically range from $2,000 to $50,000, though cases involving violence or weapons can see bonds set as high as $100,000, according to state judicial guidelines.

Sheriff's Office Provides Wellington Law Enforcement

The Larimer County Sheriff's Office provides primary law enforcement services to Wellington through a contracted agreement. Wellington, a statutory town with a population of 11,047 according to the 2020 U.S. Census, does not maintain its own police department.

LCSO deputies handle all law enforcement functions for Wellington residents, including patrol, traffic enforcement, criminal investigations and jail bookings. The arrangement has been in place for many years through an intergovernmental agreement that specifies staffing, response requirements and funding structure.

The charges against Alley are accusations and he is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty. Defendants facing multiple felony counts often see cases proceed through preliminary hearings where prosecutors must demonstrate probable cause before formal charging decisions are finalized.

Born January 16, 1995, Alley was being held at the Larimer County Jail as of October 16. Courts are required to release defendants within six hours after bond is posted unless extraordinary circumstances apply, according to Larimer County jail procedures.