Longmont area hotel to be auctioned after guests never received $4.5 million payout

The Longmont Econo Lodge near the intersection of Interstate 25 and State Highway 119 is being sold in a sheriff’s sale on December 11 after the lodge failed to pay a $4 million judgment for negligence that led to assault and attempted murder. 

The original judgment stems from an incident that occurred in a room of the lodge on January 4, 2023 when Cody Czichos, an unregistered guest, stabbed Nicole Gallegos, his ex-girlfriend, in the face. The incident occurred because the hotel staff provided Czichos with a room key without verifying he was a registered guest. Czichos also “brutally stomped on Gallegos’ head,” knocking out her teeth and causing a traumatic brain injury according to the lawsuit. He also “savagely kicked” Gallegos and broke eight of her ribs and assaulted Gallegos’ mother Carol. He was kicked out of the room earlier in the night and there were several other warning signs that the staff did not heed before providing Czichos with a room key. 

The plaintiff’s attorney, Matthew Haltzman of Haltzman Law Firm, told the Longmont Leader that the sheriff’s sale is a necessary step toward providing compensation to the victims who suffered due to the defendant’s negligence. Bidding for the sheriff’s sale is open to the public and the highest bidder wins. 

“The upcoming auction is the direct result of the defendant's choices,” Haltzman said. “First, the negligence that caused harm to innocent people, and second, the refusal to accept responsibility by satisfying the judgment entered against them. Our clients simply want to move forward with their lives. This sheriff's sale is a mechanism provided by law to ensure that justice is not merely symbolic, but tangible and meaningful for the victims. We remain hopeful that all parties affected will find resolution through this process, and that our clients can finally receive the compensation they are owed and deserve.”

Czichos is currently serving a 15 year sentence after pleading guilty to attempted murder, assault, and trespassing in 2024. 

See the original article here: https://www.longmontleader.com/colorado-news/longmont-econolodge-sheriffs-sale-scheduled-for-december-to-cover-4-million-judgment-11415936