Officers charged in train crash into patrol car with suspect

DENVER (AP) — Two law enforcement officials concerned within the arrest of a lady who was significantly injured when the parked patrol automobile she was in was hit by a freight prepare had been charged Monday.

Prosecutors additionally introduced that the lady, Yareni Rios-Gonzalez, who was arrested after a report of an alleged street rage incident involving a gun earlier than the crash, was additionally charged with felony menacing.

The Weld County District Lawyer’s Workplace introduced the costs in an announcement. It supplied fundamental court docket paperwork itemizing the costs however stated it could not present additional particulars due to “pending litigation.” The paperwork didn’t embody a story about what the officers allegedly did main as much as the Sept. 16 crash, which was captured on police physique digital camera footage.

Rios-Gonzalez’s lawyer, Paul Wilkinson, who has stated he deliberate to file swimsuit over the crash, didn’t instantly return a phone name searching for remark.

Of the 2 law enforcement officials, Fort Lupton Officer Jordan Steinke, faces probably the most severe expenses — tried manslaughter and second-degree assault — each felonies. No attorneys had been listed as representing her in on-line court docket data but and no contact data for her was listed on the division’s web site.

Pablo Vazquez, a sergeant from the neighboring metropolis of Platteville recognized on physique digital camera footage because the arresting officer, was charged with 5 counts of reckless endangerment for allegedly placing Rios-Gonzalez, Steinke and three different folks in danger, in addition to for traffic-related violations together with parking the place prohibited.

A phone message and electronic mail despatched to Vazquez at work weren’t instantly returned. On-line court docket data didn’t checklist an lawyer representing him but both.

Following the crash, Vazquez informed different officers on physique digital camera footage that he thought he had cleared the tracks when he parked his patrol car behind Rios-Gonzalez’s truck to arrest her. He stated he was centered on her as a result of he was involved about weapons. He additionally stated he didn’t know that the opposite officer he was working with from one other division, who was not recognized, had put Rios-Gonzalez in his patrol car till after it was hit by the prepare. He stated the “saving grace” was that the opposite officer put Rios-Gonzalez on the facet of the car not often used for people who find themselves arrested.

Different video from Vazquez’s physique digital camera present him and one other officer looking Rios-Gonzalez’s truck because the prepare approaches and its horn is blaring. Vazquez asks the opposite officer a number of instances over the sound of the prepare’s rumbling whether or not Rios-Gonzalez was within the patrol car and he or she responds, one hand to her face, “Oh my God, sure, she was!”

Different police video exhibits officers scrambling because the prepare approaches and slams into the car.