A district court judge placed a temporary restraining order against Fred Truden, the husband of embattled District Attorney Colleen Truden, on Monday after a volunteer with the district attorney recall effort alleged he shouted at her and petition signers on Saturday in Silt.
Fred Truden called the restraining order an "extreme overreaction" and said the two spoke but didn't have a confrontation.
"I think it was what you would call a non-event," he said, "and if anybody wants to characterize it as yelling and screaming or whatever, we never even got conversational."
Christina Chapin, of Glenwood Springs, said Truden began screaming at her and a petition signer in Veterans Park during the annual Silt Heyday festivities, where Truden had appeared on a Republican Party float. Chapin said she sought the restraining order because she believed Truden might further threaten her or other petitioners.
"I fear for my safety," said Chapin, whose husband is Jim Leuthauser, a former deputy district attorney under Colleen Truden's predecessor, Mac Myers. "I think Mr. Truden is a dangerous man. He's out of control. I think if he would conduct himself this way in a public park, that even in broad daylight I fear he would harm me. I worry for the safety of other petitioners as well. He needs to know that he picked on the wrong person to intimidate."
Carol Koris, a former district attorney office staffer who is now a recall organizer, said Truden later became confrontational with her in the park after he overheard her discussing the incident with Chapin.
"He comes over like a rabid dog and starts screaming and yelling," Koris said. "He said I didn't know what I was talking about."
Truden acknowledged telling her that she misunderstood, and said he only raised his voice because he was talking to her from 10 or 20 feet away.
"I guess the smarter part of valor was not to bother," he said. "I walked away and it was done."
Jim Bradford, clerk of combined courts, said because of their involvement with the district attorney's office, all the judges in the 9th Judicial District recused themselves from the case. Eagle County Judge Frederick Gannett will handle it instead. A hearing is set for Friday morning at the Garfield County Courthouse to determine if the restraining order will go forward.
In the meantime, Truden is barred from approaching Chapin, her daughter or her workplace. Garfield County sheriff's deputies were to serve the civil order.
Chapin, who said she didn't know Truden before the incident, said he confronted her twice in the park, calling her a liar and shouting at her and petition signers.
"He started confronting me," said Silt resident Brian Snode, who said he was signing the petition when Truden became aggressive with him and Chapin. "He was rather irate and angry right off the bat. I started to get the feeling that he was trying to pick a fight with me."
Truden said he simply started talking to the petitioners after they asked him to sign.
"I did mention, if they want some information about the lies that they're spreading that I'd put them in contact with the right people. There was nothing confrontational that I know," he said.
Chapin said she was gathering signatures when Truden approached her around 11 a.m.
"He was irate, yelling that I was a liar, that I was full of lies. What did I think I was doing?" she said. "He said I was out of control. I picked up the petition and walked away."
Chapin said he confronted her again later as Snode and his wife were signing.
"All of a sudden he was there and he was yelling and screaming at Mr. Snode. 'What do you think you're doing? Why would you sign this? What are you doing this for?' He was just out of control," she said.
Chapin said Truden then began grilling her.
"I said, 'Sir, please, do not try to intimidate me or anyone else in this park. It's not going to work. Try to be professional,'" Chapin said.
Truden said there was no yelling and screaming, and that the two barely spoke.
"Anybody can say anything, but I do court mediation," he said. "I deal with people who don't get along. It's counterproductive to yell and scream."
Truden became part of the controversy surrounding his wife's office when critics questioned whether he was working for her. Colleen Truden told Pitkin County commissioners he wasn't on the payroll. Financial documents later showed she paid him $6,000 as a contractor to perform computer upgrades.
Chapin, who seemed to fight back tears as she described the encounter, said she was shaken by the incidents, but went back to collect signatures and volunteered again on Sunday.
"She came up to me and her hands were trembling and she had tears running down her face," Koris said. "I've never seen anybody shake like that in my life."
Chapin said she was worried about Truden further threatening her or other recall organizers.
"I think this man is dangerous," she said. "I think his behavior was completely inappropriate, un-American and barbaric."
Snode said he reported the incident to Silt Police Chief Paul Taylor.
After speaking to people on both sides, Taylor said he determined there was no confrontation.
"There was a complaint lodged. There was really no run-in," he said. "The district attorney has the same right to ask questions as the petitioners do and that was what happened."
Taylor, who said he was trying to stay out of the political fray, said Truden had asked Snode if he knew what he was signing. Truden was within his rights to do so, he said, just as petitioners were allowed to collect signatures.
"It was simply a legitimate question alleged by Fred Truden," he said.
Told that Chapin was seeking a restraining order, he said: "They're going for a restraining order, but I don't think it's justified."
Snode said he didn't think it was unreasonable for Chapin to seek a restraining order.
"The way he was acting was totally inappropriate," he said.
Chapin said he signed the petition because he worried the district attorney's office had become ineffective and he questioned why so many staff members had left. He said Saturday's confrontation strengthened his concerns.
"If I wasn't going to sign the petition before, I sure would now," he said.
dfrey@aspendailynews.com
