Colorado police officer dies after falling from 40-foot bridge while chasing carjacking suspects
Colorado police officer has died just over a week after he was critically injured when he fell from a 40-foot bridge while pursuing suspects in a carjacking, the Fountain Police Department said.
Officer Julian Becerra, 35, was put on life support, CBS Colorado reported, and died Saturday night at Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs, officials said. Beccera, who worked in the patrol division as a K9 officer, is survived by his wife and two children.
A procession was held late Saturday to move his body from the hospital to the El Paso County Coroner's Office, also in Colorado Springs, the department said.
"We appreciate the public's outpouring of support over the past week for Officer Becerra, his family and the Fountain Police Department," police spokesperson Lisa Schneider said in a statement.
Officers had been asked to help the Department of Corrections find a carjacking suspect about 4 p.m. Feb. 2. After several pursuits throughout the area and at least one other attempted carjacking by the suspects, officers were able to disable the vehicle about 8 p.m. near a bridge just south of Colorado Springs, Fountain Police Commander Mark Cristiani said.
The driver got out of the car and Becerra followed. He fell from the bridge, landed in a riverbed and was critically injured, Cristiani said.
The driver and two passengers in the stolen car were arrested on warrants and on suspicion of felonies that occurred during the pursuit, officials said.
Those suspects have been identified as Devon Bobian, Danisha Pacheco and Anthony Vallejos, CBS Colorado reported.
The driver had tried to jump off the bridge, but officers caught him, pulled him to safety and took him into custody, police said.
On Friday, Fountain police said Becerra had been placed on life support and was surrounded by family and friends, The Gazette in Colorado Springs reported.
Family, friends and law enforcement officers have placed candles, flowers and notes on Becerra's police cruiser, which is parked outside the Fountain Police Department, KRDO-TV reports.
Becerra had been with the department for more than four years and previously served in the U.S. Air Force. Funeral plans have not been announced.