Man Accused Of Paving Scam In Lyons

BOULDER COUNTY, CO — A 26-year-old man is accused of scamming a business in Lyons, the Boulder County Sheriff's Office said. The office has issued a warning to anyone who is considering hiring a contractor this summer.

Christopher Buda, 26, faces charges of felony theft, the sheriff's office said.

The Lyons business was contacted by the company that employed Buda, Roadside Paving, about the repair of some pot holes in a Lyons parking lot. The paving company said it would use "leftover asphalt" to do the job, according to the sheriff's office.

The Lyons business agreed to a smaller paving job, but the contractors paved a much larger area and then demanded a large payment for the work, officials said.

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Buda went to the Lyons business to collect payment, and was arrested, the sheriff's office said.

Roadside Paving recently operated in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. A similar scam was under investigation in Virginia, officials said.

Anyone with information about the case in Boulder County is asked to call detective Connor Pontiakos at 303-441-3379. The associated case number is 20-2150.

The Boulder County Sheriff's Office issued the following tips for hiring a contractor:

• Get written estimates and references when possible;
• Do not pay cash, obtain a signed contract;
• Use local contractors whenever possible and always ask for identification;
• Check out potential contractors on the Better Business Bureau website before agreeing to work.