Man convicted of attempted murder for driving into ex-girlfriend and her family

DENVER (KDVR) — Almost three years to the day since the incident occurred, a jury convicted a 39-year-old man on multiple charges after he deliberately drove into his ex-girlfriend and her family.

Manuel Handboy was convicted after an eight-day jury trial of attempted first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, attempted manslaughter, first-degree assault, second-degree assault and third-degree assault. The jury also determined that one sentence-enhancing charge of using a weapon during a violent crime had been proven.

Handboy was accused of attempting to run over his ex-girlfriend, her mother and her sister at the Red Rock Motel on West 63rd Ave. in Adams County in 2022. According to the 17th Judicial District Attorney's Office, the ex-girlfriend and her mother had been staying at the hotel since the couple broke up.

On Jan. 15, 2022, the ex-girlfriend, her mother and her sister were returning to the motel after a shopping trip. While unloading the vehicle, the women saw Handboy nearby in his black Acura sedan, prosecutors said.

Handboy accelerated the vehicle into the women, prosecutors said, intentionally hitting the victim, her mother and her sister with the sedan. Prosecutors said the impact caused both the victim and her mother to go airborne, and the victim's sister who was inside the car, was also struck.

The 17th Judicial District Attorney's Office said in a release Tuesday that the victim and her sister were injured, but their mother was knocked unconscious by the attack and suffered a traumatic brain injury in addition to multiple fractures.

“This defendant plowed his vehicle into three innocent victims, causing unspeakable suffering,” said District Attorney Brian Mason in his office's release. “The defendant’s violent actions are an outrageous assault on this community, and I’m grateful to the jury for returning a just verdict.”

Handboy crashed the vehicle and flipped it onto its side, and then attempted to flee on foot. A "courageous" witness subdued Handboy until Adams County Sheriff's Office deputies responded and took Handboy into custody. FOX31 spoke to that witness in 2022, who said he was a hotel resident and watched the events unfold feet from his doorstep.

Handboy is scheduled to appear for sentencing on April 2 in Adams County District Court.