Former Fort Lupton, Colorado, police Officer Jordan Steinke, convicted of two misdemeanor charges for leaving a handcuffed suspect on train tracks before a collision, has received her sentence.
On Friday, Sept. 15, Judge Timothy Kerns of Colorado’s 19th Judicial District sentenced Steinke to 30 months of supervised probation and 100 hours of public service after convicting her of reckless endangerment and assault.
During Steinke’s five-day bench trial in July, the court heard testimony about how Steinke, 29, handcuffed Yareni Rios-Gonzalez after another officer, Platteville Sgt. Pablo Vazquez stopped Rios-Gonzalez on suspicion of brandishing a gun at another motorist in a fit of road rage.
Kerns acquitted Steinke of a criminal attempt to commit manslaughter.
Police bodycam footage shows Steinke placing the suspect in Vazquez’s patrol vehicle on train tracks and leaving to search the suspect’s car with the sergeant.
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As they were distracted by their search, the freight train was bearing down on the rail crossing. Dashcam footage from another police patrol vehicle shows the train colliding with the patrol car and Rios-Gonzalez before either officer could reach it.
Steinke can be heard screaming, “Oh, s##t!” as the train neared.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE.
Kerns cited the “compassion and grace” of victim Rios-Gonzalez for the lenient sentence because he originally was considering jail time.
“When I came out here, I was contemplating a form of incarceration that would send a message to law enforcement that in all circumstances you are accountable,” the Weld County District Court judge said, according to 9 News.“Ms. Rios-Gonzalez has shown that compassion and grace should win out.”
Part of Kerns’ hesitation was because it might send mixed messages to…
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