September 27, 2011 10:30 PM
JAKOB RODGERS
THE GAZETTE
A family’s trip to buy ice cream ended tragically Thursday evening when the father was shot and killed by one of his wife’s ex-boyfriends as their children ordered dessert, the woman said.
Oscar “James” Frias’ wife, Julia, said she and her children have spent the past week in fear while police search for her ex-boyfriend, 41-year-old Roy Saldivar, whom police suspect pulled the trigger.
“She’s just terrified,” said Julia Frias, speaking of her youngest child. “All of us are. If this guy did this to him, what would stop him from hurting us now?”
Colorado Springs police have not released details of the shooting, which happened around 9 p.m. Thursday near Tremont and Fillmore streets. They have issued an arrest warrant for Saldivar.
Julia Frias said the family was on its way back to Thornton after a youth hockey game when they decided to stop for treats at Dairy Queen, 315 W. Fillmore St.
Julia Frias said she waited with her husband on the restaurant’s patio while three of their children ordered ice cream inside.
That’s when she saw a man out of the corner of her eye, Julie Frias said.
“It was like he was trying … to run up from behind,” Julia Frias said, adding that initially she did not know who it was.
James Frias ran behind a car parked about 100 feet from the restaurant, using it “like a shield” while the man stood at the other end, Julia Frias said.
The man pulled out his gun and fired, dropping James Frias to the ground, she said.
Then, he walked around the car and fired two more times before fleeing, she said.
“I started screaming ‘No, no no,’ and he shot him again,” said Julia Frias, who ran toward her husband as the gunman fled. “I was saying ‘It’s OK, it’s OK, it’s not that bad.”
James Frias died at the scene as bystanders performed CPR.
Born in Denver, James Frias married Julia a little more than two years ago. The marriage created a large familiy — James Frias had three children, ages 17, 16 and 11. Julia had two, ages 15 and 14. The oldest and youngest children were not with the family on the night of the shooting.
He had no problem easing into his ever-expanding role as father, Julia Frias said. He enjoyed playing video games but spent most of his time watching the children play sports.
“With my kids, they just adore him,” Julia Frias said. “He spoils them (the children) rotten.”
Julia Frias said she recently began receiving harrassing text messages from Saldivar, a man she dated several years ago while living in Colorado Springs.
She left the relationship after Saldivar became abusive, she said. Saldivar has been arrested several times for domestic violence in recent years, however each case was dismissed, according to court records.
One day, Saldivar appeared at their Thornton house claiming to have fallen on tough times, she said. He left peacefully when James Frias offered to give him money and a ride.
The next time the couple saw Saldivar was Thursday evening, Julia Frias said.
“It just kind of feels like it’s all a dream,” she said. “It doesn’t make sense.”
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