Fort Lupton Police Officer, Jordan Steinke, has been convicted of reckless endangerment and assault after a train crashed into a patrol vehicle in which a woman was detained. Although Steinke was acquitted of the felony charge of criminal attempt to commit manslaughter, her testimony during the trial proved damning for her misdemeanor charges.
The incident occurred on September 16, 2022, when Sgt. Pablo Vazquez of the Platteville Police Department pulled over Yareni Rios-Gonzalez in response to a road rage allegation. Officer Steinke arrived to provide assistance and, tragically, a chain of events led to Rios-Gonzalez being injured. As seen in video footage, the police placed Rios-Gonzalez inside Vazquez’s vehicle, unaware that it was parked on train tracks.
The approaching train collided with the police SUV, resulting in severe injuries for Rios-Gonzalez, including broken bones, a punctured lung, a traumatic brain injury, and amnesia. Rios-Gonzalez pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of menacing in order to avoid imprisonment by accepting a deferred sentence.
This left Officer Steinke and Sergeant Vazquez to face the criminal charges related to the incident. During her testimony, Steinke claimed that she was primarily focused on the potential threat posed by Rios-Gonzalez and her pickup truck, rather than the ground. She argued that she only realized the train was approaching moments before the crash and remained unaware of the tracks or ground when arresting Rios-Gonzalez.
Deputy District Attorney Christopher Jewkes challenged Steinke’s testimony during cross-examination. Kerns, the judge presiding over the trial, observed that Steinke’s acknowledgement of seeing the tracks but not perceiving them amounted to a conscious disregard for the risk. Kerns defined recklessness as the conscious disregard of awareness, indicating that Steinke’s lack of appreciation for the risks involved constituted disregard for what she had consciously observed.
Despite being convicted, Officer Steinke continues to work for the Fort Lupton Police Department at present. Her sentencing is scheduled for September 15, with a potential maximum sentence of 18 months for the assault charge and six months for reckless endangerment.
As for Sergeant Vazquez, his case involving eight charges of reckless endangerment is ongoing. However, no comments have been provided by his attorney or the Platteville Police Department regarding his case.
Meanwhile, Yareni Rios-Gonzalez’s lawsuit related to the train crash is still in progress, and the city has refrained from making any comments in this regard.
In conclusion, Officer Jordan Steinke’s conviction for reckless endangerment and assault emphasizes the need for accountability and caution in law enforcement. The incident serves as a tragic example of the potential consequences that can arise from a lack of awareness and proper judgment. As the legal processes unfold, future developments will shed more light on the incident and its aftermath, including the pending case against Sergeant Vazquez and the progress of Rios-Gonzalez’s lawsuit.
