Representative Lauren Boebert's ex-husband, Jayson, was taken into custody on two separate arrest warrants Tuesday, January 9 — one for his reported restaurant fight with the Colorado congresswoman, and another for allegedly assaulting their eldest son, Tyler, during an argument at their house in Garfield County, the arrest affidavit says.
Tyler, who turns nineteen on March 21, reported the incident to police at around 1:08 a.m. Tuesday, per the affidavit, which was obtained by Westword on Wednesday. The report states that "Jayson threw Tyler's phone across the house" during an argument about laying Tyler's baby son "down to sleep." Jayson allegedly "pushed Tyler to the ground and pushed his thumb into his mouth," the affidavit says. "Jayson had a gun, it was a rifle. Jayson was carrying the rifle."
When cops arrived on the scene, "Jayson was getting into a gray F-350," the affidavit says. "There was possibly a female in the truck with Jayson."
As authorities moved onto the property, "the female was back inside and Jayson was in the truck by himself." Fearing that Jayson was still armed with the rifle, "law enforcement decided it was best to stage at the beginning of the driveway for officer safety reasons. Due to Jayson grabbing the rifle when Tyler was on the phone with dispatch, it was unknown if Jayson was setting up for an ambush because he knew law enforcement would be responding, which was another reason law enforcement staged."
Authorities eventually made contact with Tyler, who had left the house and returned with an unidentified individual, and decided to "relocate" him to the Silt Police Department for an interview, the affidavit says. Down at the station, the teen explained what had happened between him and his father.
According to Tyler, Jayson had berated and attacked him for placing his young child in a "laundry basket" to sleep. The Boeberts have been taking care of Tyler's son, who was born last year.
"Tyler had determined that the laundry basket was not a hazard...and it was better for [the child] to sleep in laundry basket, full of clothes, rather than on the bed and risk falling," the affidavit says. "At some point...Jayson returned to the bedroom where Tyler was. Tyler advised [police] Jayson hit his (Tyler's) legs and began to ask him why [the child] was in a laundry basket. ... Tyler attempted to explain to Jayson that [the child] was fine in the laundry basket. While Jayson continued to question Tyler, Jayson attempted to grab Tyler's phone several times. Tyler advised that because Jayson was under the influence of alcohol, he was clumsy and dropped the phone several times. Tyler believed he was under the influence because he was only clumsy when he drank alcohol and he had slurred speech."
According to the affidavit, Tyler tried to "get to his phone," and that's when Jayson allegedly "shoved" him. Tyler described the shove as Jayson "placing one hand in the area of his throat/neck and pushing back." The affidavit says that "Tyler became upset at this point and a physical altercation began between Jayson and him." During the altercation, Jayson allegedly "stuck his right hand thumb into Tyler's mouth." Tyler told police it felt like his dad was going to "pull his tooth out."
Once the altercation stopped, Tyler was able to reach his phone and called the cops. "Tyler advised that when Jayson saw that Tyler was on the phone with dispatch, Jayson grabbed the rifle," according to the affidavit.
The Boebert patriarch was arrested later in the day and charged with six crimes related to his altercation with Tyler and the restaurant incident with his ex-wife — including misdemeanor assault, disorderly conduct and prohibited use of a firearm — after initially claiming that he was the victim.
Tyler, who turns nineteen on March 21, reported the incident to police at around 1:08 a.m. Tuesday, per the affidavit, which was obtained by Westword on Wednesday. The report states that "Jayson threw Tyler's phone across the house" during an argument about laying Tyler's baby son "down to sleep." Jayson allegedly "pushed Tyler to the ground and pushed his thumb into his mouth," the affidavit says. "Jayson had a gun, it was a rifle. Jayson was carrying the rifle."
When cops arrived on the scene, "Jayson was getting into a gray F-350," the affidavit says. "There was possibly a female in the truck with Jayson."
As authorities moved onto the property, "the female was back inside and Jayson was in the truck by himself." Fearing that Jayson was still armed with the rifle, "law enforcement decided it was best to stage at the beginning of the driveway for officer safety reasons. Due to Jayson grabbing the rifle when Tyler was on the phone with dispatch, it was unknown if Jayson was setting up for an ambush because he knew law enforcement would be responding, which was another reason law enforcement staged."
Authorities eventually made contact with Tyler, who had left the house and returned with an unidentified individual, and decided to "relocate" him to the Silt Police Department for an interview, the affidavit says. Down at the station, the teen explained what had happened between him and his father.
According to Tyler, Jayson had berated and attacked him for placing his young child in a "laundry basket" to sleep. The Boeberts have been taking care of Tyler's son, who was born last year.
"Tyler had determined that the laundry basket was not a hazard...and it was better for [the child] to sleep in laundry basket, full of clothes, rather than on the bed and risk falling," the affidavit says. "At some point...Jayson returned to the bedroom where Tyler was. Tyler advised [police] Jayson hit his (Tyler's) legs and began to ask him why [the child] was in a laundry basket. ... Tyler attempted to explain to Jayson that [the child] was fine in the laundry basket. While Jayson continued to question Tyler, Jayson attempted to grab Tyler's phone several times. Tyler advised that because Jayson was under the influence of alcohol, he was clumsy and dropped the phone several times. Tyler believed he was under the influence because he was only clumsy when he drank alcohol and he had slurred speech."
According to the affidavit, Tyler tried to "get to his phone," and that's when Jayson allegedly "shoved" him. Tyler described the shove as Jayson "placing one hand in the area of his throat/neck and pushing back." The affidavit says that "Tyler became upset at this point and a physical altercation began between Jayson and him." During the altercation, Jayson allegedly "stuck his right hand thumb into Tyler's mouth." Tyler told police it felt like his dad was going to "pull his tooth out."
Once the altercation stopped, Tyler was able to reach his phone and called the cops. "Tyler advised that when Jayson saw that Tyler was on the phone with dispatch, Jayson grabbed the rifle," according to the affidavit.
The Boebert patriarch was arrested later in the day and charged with six crimes related to his altercation with Tyler and the restaurant incident with his ex-wife — including misdemeanor assault, disorderly conduct and prohibited use of a firearm — after initially claiming that he was the victim.
A criminal history report obtained by Westword through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation shows that Jayson Boebert was taken into custody by the Garfield County Sheriff's Office and charged with "simple assault in the third degree, simple assault 3 - knowingly/recklessly causing injury to another person, prohibited use of a weapon - aiming firearm, obstructing police/obstructing a peace officer, trespassing and disorderly conduct - offensive gesture." The last two charges are petty offenses; the rest are misdemeanors.
Silt Police Chief Mike Kite tells Westword that three of the charges stem from the domestic violence incident at Miner's Claim Restaurant on Saturday, January 6: obstruction, trespassing and disorderly conduct. The others are related to the Tyler incident, which prompted the second warrant with the GCSO.
The sheriff's office has not yet responded to requests for more information regarding Jayson's arrest. Kite says the Silt Police Department, which has just nine employees to cover a town of 3,700 people, will likely wrap up its side of the investigation and "disposition on this case" in the coming days.
"We are hoping to have this case tied up by the first of next week — that's our game plan," he tells Westword. "We are still gathering stuff together. Once everything is completed, we will look at the totality of everything and we'll go from there."
Garfield County jail records show that Jayson, 43, was released shortly after his arrest. Attempts to reach him for comment since his arrest have been unsuccessful.
On Monday, the father of four had opened up to Westword about what he says went down at Miner's Claim; he said that he called the cops in response to what happened, which is apparently true. But the affidavit compiled by SPD investigators tells a much different story than the one Jayson has been telling, as does a press release sent out Wednesday by the police department.
Earlier, in text messages to the anti-Boebert super PAC American Muckrackers, Jayson had alleged that his ex-wife had punched him in the face, prompting him to call the police. The two had been arguing following an incident earlier in the day when Jayson attempted to hug Lauren and talk to her after she arrived at his house to pick up one of their sons for dinner and she denied his advances.
Jayson told Westword that he later asked to speak with Lauren in person and she agreed, choosing the restaurant as their meeting spot.
An aide for Lauren Boebert told the Daily Beast that Jayson was "being disrespectful," "being an asshole" and getting "lewd" during their meeting at Miner's Claim. According to the Daily Beast, "the alleged behavior revolted Lauren ... but that seemed to make her ex more aggressive." There was then "apparently a physical altercation of indeterminate severity," the outlet reported. The aide said Jayson "made a motion" toward his ex-wife "to grab her" and that it was "an aggressive move, not romantic." In the process of keeping him back, Lauren "put her hand in his face" and "put her hand on his nose."
Asked if the aide's allegations were true, Jayson cryptically told Westword: "That's her story" — and it does appear to be true, according to the affidavit.
"Although he claimed he had been punched in the face, officers observed no marks or injury on Jayson Boebert to corroborate he had actually been assaulted," said the SPD press release issued January 10. "Staff at Miner’s Claim restaurant requested Jayson leave the restaurant due to the level of disturbance he was creating. Officers requested Jayson Boebert to leave the restaurant multiple times; however, he was uncooperative and was physically removed from the restaurant by law enforcement personnel."
Jayson told Westword he was trying to reconcile with Lauren earlier in the day on January 6, and he was attempting to make things right at Miner's Claim that night. "I was telling her I want her back," he claimed. "She started bringing up some of the things that she didn't like that I have done in our relationship."
Jayson's affidavit doesn't paint it too differently, except for the punch-in-the-face claim.
"Lauren explained she was having a conversation with her ex-husband, Jayson Boebert and the topic turned to their new partners," the affidavit says. "Things got heated as both parties argued, at one point Lauren admitted to placing her finger on Jayson's nose to end the conversation. Jayson at that point picked up his phone and called 911, stating he wanted to report domestic abuse and hung up. Lauren stated Jayson told her 'Congratulations your name is going to be in the headline.'"
When cops arrived on the scene, an officer asked Lauren how much Jayson had to drink that night. "Lauren replied Jayson had much more to drink then she had," the affidavit says. "Lauren stated that they each had a drink earlier in the night at their old residence before moving to the Miner's Claim to finish their conversation thinking it would be peaceful. Lauren explained they have been trying to reconcile and get on good terms. Lauren explained to [the officer] that Jayson is hurt and she believes he is doing this tonight to make her suffer like he is after the divorce."
Lauren claimed that Jayson "had three drinks of Tequila when she had arrived at their old residence" earlier in the day and the two of them "shared drinks." Things eventually "got tense" between the two of them, according to the affidavit, prompting Jayson to "come at her" — or as he describes it, go in for a hug.
"Lauren said she had to push Jayson away and she told him, 'Don't touch me, like do not touch me,'" the affidavit says. "[The officer] asked Lauren if Jayson gets aggressive when he drinks and Lauren responded that he does. Lauren did state their 14-year-old son did witness the incident at the house."
Cops say Jayson can be heard on body camera footage from later that night at Miner's Claim telling an officer, "She punched me in the face." According to the affidavit, Jayson told police he was hit two different times: once at the restaurant and once at his residence.
"Jayson appeared under the influence of alcohol and was drinking what appeared to be an alcoholic beverage while [an officer] was trying to speak with Jayson," the affidavit says.
On Monday, Jayson told Westword that things were calm when police arrived at the restaurant and that everyone cooperated — except him, per the affidavit.
Jayson allegedly refused to talk to police numerous times, at one point telling them: "I'm gonna drink some drinks before the fucker closes. I'm gonna get so fucking drunk, I don't even wanna talk to you mother fuckers." According to the affidavit, "Jayson stated he would be so drunk it would take a couple of days for him to sober up so officers could speak with him. ... At approximately 8:24 p.m., Jayson finally stands up after being asked to leave by Officers no less than seven times. Jayson turns around and raises hands. Deputies on scene grab his hands and turn him around and tell him to walk out the door."
According to the affidavit, Jayson tried his best to stay at Miner's Claim — grabbing the door frame as police dragged him out, to no avail.
"Y'all fucked up," he allegedly told the cops once outside. "Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you."
Speaking to Westword on Monday, Jayson admitted: "I should have handled it more responsibly. I mean, look how it escalated. It turned into this big deal, and honestly, it's just two people trying to figure out, you know, how to have peace with each other and how to move forward from here. It's just unfortunate, because now it's turned into this big story. And I know it's hurt her. She's a good person; she didn't deserve that. And it just sucks when you're kind of in the spotlight that, you know, any of your family matters are in the spotlight. Anything."
