In January 1988, in Denver, Colorado, KCNC-TV helicopter pilot Mike Silva flies over the city to allow cameraman Jim Stair to capture aerial shots of the area. Meanwhile, escaped convict Hutchinson, using the alias Mark Taylor, has fled from Texas to settle in Denver, where he works as a car mechanic. While in town, Hutchinson carries out a string of crimes, including an armed robbery of a local store and the mugging of a courier delivering money, whom he beats with a crowbar. A witness spots Hutchinson fleeing in a red Chevrolet K5 Blazer and reports it to the Denver Police, but Hutchinson has his coworker repaint the vehicle brown. Through this coworker, Hutchinson meets a woman named Roxanne and begins a relationship, though he keeps his criminal life hidden. However, after he discovers she has been going through his belongings, he chases her out of his apartment.
Denver PD Detective Wallis and Texan Detective Hammer investigate Hutchinson's activities. Wallis' son Dale is also a police officer, and his wife is expecting a baby. Wallis plans to retire soon to spend more time with his family and the upcoming grandchild. Meanwhile, a teenage girl, Tammie, works as a bank teller at the Rio Grande Operating Credit Union office, and she confides to a coworker that she is insecure about her appearance and lacks self-confidence. Elsewhere, another girl, Gloria Whipple, struggles to pay her bills and get to work, a struggle compounded by her drug-addicted boyfriend Julian; unbeknownst to Julian, Whipple is pregnant.
A month later, on February 9, 1988, Wallis is now a grandfather and plans to retire, Tammie still works at the Union office, and Whipple reconnects with her estranged father. On this date, Hutchinson decides to rob the Union office, planning to flee for Brazil. Holding up the bank with a handgun, he demands Tammie transfer the money into his suitcase. Tammie activates a silent alarm to alert the police, but Hutchinson flees in his Blazer before they can arrive. Wallis and Hammer respond, as do Mike Silva and Jim Stair, who decide to fly overhead to track the pursuit.
Police intercept Hutchinson and attempt to cut him off, but fail. Wallis' seatbelt fails to release, and by the time he manages to get out, Hutchinson strikes him with the Blazer, killing him instantly. The pursuing officers lose sight of Hutchinson, but Silva and Stair remain overhead. Hutchinson crashes the Blazer and flees on foot, encountering Whipple and her drug-addicted boyfriend Julian and attempting to carjack them. Julian runs off while Whipple drives away, missing gunfire from Hutchinson. Continuing on, Hutchinson encounters Laurienti and forces him to drive him away in his green Chevrolet C/K. Mike Silva, realizing the police do not know what vehicle Hutchinson is in, flies the helicopter directly in front of the truck and brings it to a stop. Police are then alerted to Hutchinson's whereabouts and surround the truck. Laurienti is pulled from the vehicle unharmed, and Hutchinson is shot dead by police after attempting to shoot Laurienti and the officers.
In the aftermath, Whipple ends her relationship with Julian and is in a much stronger relationship with her father, who supports her during her pregnancy. Wallis' son Dale gives a speech at his father's funeral and breaks down over the sudden death of his father. Tammie, now self-confident, plans to head off to college. Laurienti survives and is given a new white truck on behalf of KCNC-TV.
