A woman who was critically injured when the parked police vehicle she sat in following her arrest was hit by a train sued police on Thursday. Yareni Rios-Gonzalez claims that the three officers were behaving rashly and failed to ensure her safety while she was in their custody, reports FOX.
On Sept. 16, the woman was placed in the backseat of a police car in Colorado, which was parked on railroad tracks. According to the lawsuit, the tracks were
“plainly visible”
to Jordan Steinke, the arresting official, as Steinke stood on the tracks to place Rios inside the vehicle that belonged to Platteville Sgt. Pablo Vazquez.
Vazquez and Steinke of the Fort Lupton Police Department are listed in the lawsuit and are both being prosecuted. Another officer has also been named in the suit for failing to help Rios escape the car when he heard the train moving toward the vehicle; however, he hasn’t been charged. During the incident, reports say the passenger’s back door was open and Rios screamed for aid and attempted to escape but couldn’t because the car was designed to deter people from escaping.
Rios was placed in the backseat due to a road rage encounter that involved a firearm, which she has been reportedly charged for.
The lawsuit says, while the train was heading toward the vehicle, Vazquez and Steinke were focused on searching Rios’ vehicle, which was filmed on a body camera. Seconds after the car was struck by the train going nearly 50 mph, arresting officers confirmed Rios’ was in the patrol car. After the encounter, Vazquez informed the other officers that he didn’t know the car was on the tracks when he parked behind her vehicle to conduct the arrest. He added that he had no idea Rios’ was placed inside the vehicle by Steinke.
#Clique, what are your thoughts?
