Officers connected to train crash served with multiple police departments
The two police officers involved with placing a handcuffed female suspect in a patrol car that was then hit by a train, have both served with multiple Colorado police departments and are certified by the state's Peace Officers Standards and Training agency.
Although their departments have not disclosed their names, CBS News Colorado has identified them through sources and other means as Sgt. Pablo Vazquez from the Platteville Police Department and Officer Jordan Steinke with the Fort Lupton Police Department.
Multiple sources have said both Vazquez and Steinke were involved in the arrest of Yareni Rios-Gonzalez on Sept. 16. Rios- Gonzalez was suspected of involvement in an armed road rage incident. After she was apprehended and pulled over on a Weld County road, police handcuffed her, and placed her in a Platteville police cruiser that was parked on railroad tracks. Moments later, a Union Pacific train slammed into the patrol car. Rios-Gonzalez suffered serious injuries.
Fort Lupton and Platteville police have not released the names of the officers involved. But multiple law enforcement sources said Vazquez is the Platteville police officer who stopped Rios-Gonzalez and parked his police car on the railroad tracks.
CBS News Colorado has not been able to reach Vazquez for comment. Prior to joining the Platteville PD, he was an officer with the Commerce City Police Department, Berthoud Police and the Federal Heights Police Department. He is certified by Colorado's POST board and has no adverse actions listed on his POST certification.
Steinke, with the Fort Lupton police department, appeared the be the first officer to arrive on scene after Vazquez. On police body cam video, she can be seen handcuffing the suspect and escorting the woman to Vazquez's police car.
Steinke, 28, previously served as a deputy with the Washington County Sheriff's Office and Fort Morgan Police. She is also certified by the state's POST board and has no adverse actions on her state record. Her attorney told CBS News Colorado Steinke was unlikely to comment at this stage of the investigation.
Fort Lupton Police Chief John Fryar declined to discuss Steinke's involvement in the case saying it was "a personnel issue." But he said "she has been under some scrutiny" and confirmed she was the subject of an internal affairs investigation because of "physical injury to someone she was involved with." Fryar went on to say, "She has done good work for us since she came to us from Washington County."
The incident has gained national attention and multiple law enforcement investigations are now underway into what happened, and how it happened. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation is looking into how Rios-Gonzalez was injured while in police custody.
CBI spokesperson Susan Medina said her agency has been conducting interviews and reviewing videos of what occurred. She called it a "comprehensive investigation" and said when completed, the results will be presented to the District Attorney in Weld County to see if criminal charges are warranted.