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LONGMONT, Colo. (KDVR) — The Econo Lodge that sits along Interstate 25 is headed to the auction block and not by choice. FOX31 has learned the forcible sale stems from the owners refusing to pay a multi-million-dollar judgment to guests who were nearly killed in one of the hotel rooms.
It was two years ago when hotel staff gave a room key to a woman’s abuser, which led to her and her mother being violently assaulted. The victims filed a civil lawsuit and won with a jury awarding them more than four million dollars. But according to attorney Matthew Haltzman, the hotel owners have not paid anything on the judgment.
“The defendant continues to drag this out and make it as painful for the victims as they can,’ Haltzman told FOX31.
Haltzman has been seeking justice for the two women who experienced a near-death experience behind the walls of the Econo Lodge in Longmont. In 2023, hotel staff reported Cody Czichos was intoxicated, high and erratic in the hotel lobby, but still gave him a room key to where the victim and her mother were staying, even though he was not a registered guest.
Czichos stabbed the victim’s hand and face with a large knife, dragged her to the floor, kicked her and ripped her tooth out. He also got physical with the victim’s mother.
The victim and her mother filed a civil lawsuit against the Econo Lodge in Longmont to hold the owners accountable. The two won the jury trial and were awarded a judgment of more than $4 million. That large sum of money is the hotel’s responsibility to pay out to the victims, but after a successful verdict, the victims hit another speed bump.
“Since the judgment in May, not a single dollar has been paid to the victims,” Haltzman shared. “This continues to be a company that does not accept responsibility for what happened for both the night that it occurred and for what the jury said”.
Haltzman goes on to tell FOX31 that despite multiple attempts to recoup the money, they’ve been met with resistance from the hotel owners. The lack of payment has now forced Haltzman to file with the court to seize assets, which a judge granted.
The Weld County Sheriff’s Office is now conducting a public auction for the property. The highest bidder, whether it be an investor or private citizen, will get the land with the money going to the victims as part of the $4 million they’re owed.
FOX31 obtained the notice of sale paperwork, and the auction is only one day on December 11th at 10 a.m.
If anyone is interested in bidding on the property, contact the Weld County Sheriff’s Office or the Haltzman Law Firm at 970-692-3440.
According to Haltzman, the sudden sale of the hotel is due to negligent behavior.
“First off, it’s a consequence of their negligence,” Haltzman said. “This is what happens when the defendant decides they’re not going to pay on the judgment.”
FOX31 reached out to the ownership and their attorney’s office, but they declined to comment.
Czichos was arrested and pleaded guilty to attempted murder, among several other charges and is currently serving a prison sentence.
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Anthony Sutton is a business strategist and writer with a passion for management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. With years of experience in the corporate world, he shares insights on business growth, strategy, and innovation through management-opleiding.org.
