Colorado Police Officer Sentenced for Placing Handcuffed Suspect in Car Hit by Train
Fort Lupton officer Jordan Steinke has been sentenced to supervised probation and public service after placing a handcuffed suspect into a police SUV that was then hit by a train, according to her attorney. Judge Timothy Kerns found Steinke guilty of reckless endangerment and third-degree assault but not guilty of the felony charge of criminal attempt to commit manslaughter.
The incident occurred last September during a traffic stop in Weld County, Colorado. Steinke had pulled over Yareni Rios-Gonzalez, who was suspected of brandishing a gun in a road rage incident earlier that evening. Steinke placed Rios-Gonzalez into the cruiser of Platteville police officer Pablo Vasquez, who had parked in the middle of a marked railroad crossing.
Body camera and dash camera video released by the police showed Rios-Gonzalez screaming for help as the train approached and struck the vehicle. Fortunately, she survived the crash but suffered multiple injuries including nine broken ribs and a broken arm.
During her sentencing, Steinke spoke directly to Rios-Gonzalez, expressing her understanding of the pain and suffering the victim and her family had endured. She expressed remorse and stated that she never intended for harm to come to another human under her watch as a police officer.
Rios-Gonzalez’s attorney told the court that she did not feel strongly about Steinke serving jail time and instead felt sorry for her.
Fort Lupton is located approximately 30 miles north of Denver.