GUILTY CO - Freight train collided into a police cruiser parked on tracks with a woman trapped inside, PLATTEVILLE, 16 Sept. '22 *charges*

[Charlot123]

This is what it looks like:

SOURCE:

Victim Identified and Colorado Cop on Leave After Freight Train Struck Squad Car with Young Woman Inside

A Platteville, Colorado police officer has reportedly been placed on leave after a squad car containing a detainee was struck by a freight train.

lawandcrime.com

So, during daytime one can see it, and there is a mound, so that people not using the road need to get up that mound to approach the tracks. But the road itself, the most dangerous place, is flush with the rails.

1) The policemen would have seen the rails at daytime. At night, they should have felt driving over the rails, but during the chase, and also, concerned about the road rage and the alleged perpetrator having a gun, were totally distracted.

2) What it tells to me (regardless of the fact that still is a horrible situation), is that it is a dangerous crossing. Other things may happen here, easily.

3) It seems that lights (street lights) need to be installed there.

4) If trains run according to a schedule, a warning red light needs to be installed.

5) Maybe a monitoring camera connected to a red light?

6) How do they do it in other countries? All Europe is crisscrossed by train rails, and managed? Train catastrophes can be awful

 

[WingsOverTX]

Some railroad crossing data for Platteville & Weld County found here:

8.01 - Query by Location

View attachment 370538
The above says Weld County has 352 open & closed crossings. 201 are open.

View attachment 370539
Above are the 7 crossings in Platteville.

While upgrading crossings would help, Weld County is focused on eliminating crossings to promote safety, per this article from May 2022:

Project to enhance safety on Highway 85 nears completion

The project, which involves the closure of 12 railroad crossings, aims to reduce congestion, eliminate the risk of vehicle train conflicts and provide more reliable access routes for emergency services.

www.weldgov.com

 

[dotr]

Nov 7 2022

A Colorado Woman Was Hit by a Train After Police Detained Her on Road Rage Allegations in a Patrol Car Left on the Tracks. Now Both She and Cops Face Charges.

Two Colorado police officers have been charged with crimes in connection with the incident – and so has the woman who was detained inside the patrol car.

lawandcrime.com

''Now, that Platteville Police Department officer and one officer from the Fort Lupton Police Department have been charged with crimes – and so has the woman who was hit by the train.''

''According to charging documents obtained by Law&Crime, FLPD Officer Jordan Steinke stands accused of one count each of criminal attempt to commit manslaughter, assault in the second degree, and reckless endangerment. Additionally, PPD Sergeant Pablo Vasquez stands accused of five counts of reckless endangerment and one count each of obstructing a highway or other passageway, careless driving, and parking where prohibited.

The woman who was in the patrol car as the train made impact, Yareni Rios-Gonzalez, was charged with one count of felony menacing for allegedly pointing a gun at a man during the road rage incident that led to her arrest and detention on the September day in question.''

 

[evilwise]

When crappy citizens encounter crappy cops in precisely the crappiest possible spot.

 

[PrairieWind]

So, during daytime one can see it, and there is a mound, so that people not using the road need to get up that mound to approach the tracks. But the road itself, the most dangerous place, is flush with the rails.

1) The policemen would have seen the rails at daytime. At night, they should have felt driving over the rails, but during the chase, and also, concerned about the road rage and the alleged perpetrator having a gun, were totally distracted.

2) What it tells to me (regardless of the fact that still is a horrible situation), is that it is a dangerous crossing. Other things may happen here, easily.

3) It seems that lights (street lights) need to be installed there.

4) If trains run according to a schedule, a warning red light needs to be installed.

5) Maybe a monitoring camera connected to a red light?

6) How do they do it in other countries? All Europe is crisscrossed by train rails, and managed? Train catastrophes can be awful

I don't mean to be rude, but you aren't very familiar with railroads in the west are you? This is exactly what thousands of railroad crossings look like.

 

[PrairieWind]

It is interesting that the prosecutor has decided to go forward with the charges of road rage against Rios-Gonzalez. If the evidence is there, he is right. He is separating the original criminal complaint from the train/car collision. I support that.

 

[dotr]

Nov 4 2022

 

[JerseyGirl]

Trial begins for police officer who placed handcuffed woman in police car parked on railroad tracks

Witnesses are speaking publicly for the first time in one of the trials pertaining to a police officer who put a handcuffed woman in the back of a police car, which was struck by a train moments later.

www.cbsnews.com

Witnesses are speaking publicly for the first time in one of the trials pertaining to a police officer who put a handcuffed woman in the back of a police car, which was struck by a train moments later.

The trial is for Fort Lupton Police Officer Jordan Steinke, who faces two charges for the crash that left the handcuffed woman with serious injuries.

 

[PrairieWind]

This is a bench trial, not a jury trial, so the Judge will decide on guilt.
It is sure hard to fathom how she didn't realize the police car was parked on the tracks.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Platteville cop says she didn’t notice train tracks when putting suspect in car

A Colorado police officer on trial for putting a handcuffed woman in a parked police vehicle that was hit by a freight train testified Tuesday that she did not realize the officer who had arrived b…

kdvr.com

 

[PrairieWind]

I can't find the body cam video from the officer from when she cuffs the suspect. I had seen it before somewhere but can't find it now.

 

[Betty P]

I can't find the body cam video from the officer from when she cuffs the suspect. I had seen it before somewhere but can't find it now.

Is this it?

platteville co train crash officer cam - Google Search

The train tracks running underneath the police vehicle are very visible, frequently, during the video of the arrest.

ETA: The officers are searching the suspect's vehicle while you can hear the horn of the coming train in the background. They just keep talking and searching the truck, instead of going back to move their car. JMO

Fast forward to around 5:00 for that part of the video

ETA: This kind of reminds me of the time a police officer at the Lake of the Ozarks went out on the Mo Hwy Patrol boat to arrest a drunken boater. He handcuffed him and put him into the MHP boat, then took off across the lake for shore. The drunken boater accidentally fell out of the boat and drowned, because he was handcuffed.

 

[PrairieWind]

Is this it?

platteville co train crash officer cam - Google Search

Yes. Thank you!!!
The tracks are clearly visible. They are literally standing on them as she loads the suspect into the police car.

 

[Betty P]

Yes. Thank you!!!
The tracks are clearly visible. They are literally standing on them as she loads the suspect into the police car.

Then the train horn while they're searching her car. Another officer yelling at them to move their car, etc.

 

[dotr]

 

[Betty P]

Never, ever park or stop your vehicle on train tracks.

 

[PrairieWind]

Platteville train crash trial: Officer's 'awareness' of train tracks is key issue in the case

Prosecutors argued Jordan Steinke disregarded the risk, while her defense team says she was unaware of the tracks due to the intense situation.

www.9news.com

The Officer was found guilty of reckless endangerment and guilty of third degree assault, but acquitted of the more serious attempted manslaughter charge.

 

[Charlot123]

I don't mean to be rude, but you aren't very familiar with railroads in the west are you? This is exactly what thousands of railroad crossings look like.

Here is probably the answer to your question.

Platteville cop says she didn’t notice train tracks when putting suspect in car

A Colorado police officer on trial for putting a handcuffed woman in a parked police vehicle that was hit by a freight train testified Tuesday that she did not realize the officer who had arrived b…

kdvr.com

And I believe her. It is useless to debate where officer Jordan Steinke has poor night vision, is inattentive, distractible or something else. Or question the thinking process of her partner who stopped at the tracks. I merely point out that there should be warning sights aimed at preventing such accidents. Especially with thousands of railroad crossings in the country. A red blinking light + a traffic light + a railway crossing sign. It would have been much cheaper to take care of it first, than paying compensation to the victim of the railroad accident now.

 

[Charlot123]

I think it is possible yes. Probably some sort of endangerment charge. But we will see. It is staggering negligence, but is it criminal? That is up to a prosecutor.

 

[Betty P]

Here is probably the answer to your question.

Platteville cop says she didn’t notice train tracks when putting suspect in car

A Colorado police officer on trial for putting a handcuffed woman in a parked police vehicle that was hit by a freight train testified Tuesday that she did not realize the officer who had arrived b…

kdvr.com

And I believe her. It is useless to debate where officer Jordan Steinke has poor night vision, is inattentive, distractible or something else. Or question the thinking process of her partner who stopped at the tracks. I merely point out that there should be warning sights aimed at preventing such accidents. Especially with thousands of railroad crossings in the country. A red blinking light + a traffic light + a railway crossing sign. It would have been much cheaper to take care of it first, than paying compensation to the victim of the railroad accident now.

There were crossbuck signs at that crossing. The crossing was on a street without much traffic, so lights and gates weren’t needed.

I checked the grade crossing all through Greeley, CO on Google maps and there were over a dozen that had the lights and crossing arms that lower to block traffic.

In the video linked above from the officers body cam, you could see the officer actually walking on the railroad tracks as they moved the victim around the car. There was also another officer yelling at them that a train was going to hit their car.