Saturday, 02 Nov 2024

Colorado officer who placed handcuffed suspect into a vehicle that was hit by train is found guilty of misdemeanors, but acquitted of felony


Colorado officer who placed handcuffed suspect into a vehicle that was hit by train is found guilty of misdemeanors, but acquitted of felony
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A Colorado police officer who put a handcuffed suspect in a patrol SUV that was then hit by a train near Denver last year was found guilty of two misdemeanors Friday.

Fort Lupton police Officer Jordan Steinke was convicted of reckless endangerment and third-degree assault, but acquitted of a felony charge of criminal attempt to commit manslaughter.

"There's no reasonable doubt that placing a handcuffed person in the back of a patrol car parked on railroad tracks creates a substantial and unjustifiable risk of harm by the train," Judge Timothy Kerns said when reading the verdict after a weeklong bench trial.

Steinke, who had waived her right have the case decided by a jury, laid her head on the table and sobbed after the verdict was read.

In September, Steinke joined a traffic stop in which officers pulled over Yareni Rios-Gonzalez, who authorities said was suspected of brandishing a gun at another driver in a road rage case earlier in the evening. Steinke put Rios into the cruiser of Platteville police Officer Pablo Vasquez, who arrived first and parked in the middle of a railroad crossing.

Body-worn camera and dashboard camera video released by police showed Rios screaming for help as the train approaches and strikes the vehicle. She suffered nine broken ribs and a broken arm in addition to other injuries.

"Ms. Rios respects the verdict in this case against Ms. Steinke and believes that justice was done," Rios' attorney, Chris Ponce, told CNN on Friday.

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