Longmont hotel to pay $4M after giving room key to man later convicted of attempted murder

LONGMONT, Colo. — A Longmont hotel has been ordered to pay $4 million in damages after a jury found it responsible for giving a room key to someone who was not authorized to have one — an act that led to a violent assault.

The incident happened at the Econo Lodge in Longmont on the night of Jan. 3, 2023. According to police reports and court records, two women staying at the hotel invited 31-year-old Cody Czichos to their room for pizza. When Czichos began behaving erratically, the women told him to leave.

Attorney Matthew Haltzman, who represented the women, says Czichos then went to the front desk, gave the women's names and room number, and was given a key to their room without authorization.

“He then took that key, walked to my client's room, and without their permission, opened the door and assaulted one of the victims and then stabbed the other victim in the face and in the hand,” Haltzman said.

The attack left both women with lasting physical and emotional injuries.

Jurors awarded the women $4 million in damages Thursday after hearing testimony about what happened and how the hotel handled the situation.

“These are lifelong injuries. These are scars and psychological trauma that will last a lifetime,” Haltzman said. “But I can confidently tell you that the victims felt vindicated.”

9NEWS stopped by the Econo Lodge front desk on Friday and was referred to the owner’s attorney. As of this publication, that attorney has not responded to requests for comment.

It remains unclear whether the hotel has changed its policy regarding key distribution.

“There is nothing right about a policy at a hotel where you can just get a key if you name somebody's name and their room number,” Haltzman said. “That’s not OK. It’s not acceptable, and the jury heard that.”

See the original article here: https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/women-win-lawsuit-against-longmont-hotel/73-8d448923-fef6-4042-ba3d-132e1333df13