US: Two police officers charged with leaving handcuffed woman in car that was hit by train

Two Colorado police officers who had left a handcuffed woman in a patrol car parked on railroad tracks were charged on Monday. Yareni Rios-Gonzalez, 20, had been held in a road rage incident where she was accused of brandishing a handgun at another motorist near Denver on the night of September 16, according to police.

She was then stopped, handcuffed and placed in the back of a patrol vehicle that was parked straddling the train tracks, police said. While several agencies had responded to the earlier situation, none of them moved the vehicle off the track. Police video footage showed a Union Pacific freight train plow into the parked SUV.

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Rios-Gonzalez suffered nine broken ribs, a broken arm and leg, broken teeth and other injuries, her lawyer, Paul Wilkinson said. She is currently recovering at home.

Fort Lupton police officer Jordan Steinke faces one count each of attempted manslaughter and second-degree assault, both felonies, prosecutors said. Sergeant Pablo Vazquez of the Platteville police faces five counts of misdemeanor reckless endangerment and traffic charges, authorities said.

Meanwhile, Wilkinson informed that he was told last week that Rios-Gonzalez would be charged and called the decision disappointing. He is planning to file a federal lawsuit against police for his client’s injuries and for violating her civil rights.

(With inputs from agencies)