Colorado police released video Friday showing a freight train strike a patrol car with a handcuffed woman inside during a traffic stop earlier this month.
Yareli Rios-Gonzalez, 20, survived the crash but suffered multiple broken ribs and a fractured sternum, according to Colorado Public Radio.
The incident took place September 16 after a Platteville police officer pulled her over in a truck in response to a 911 call from another driver who said the woman in the truck pulled out a gun during a road rage incident.
The video shows she stopped her truck just after crossing a set of railroad trucks and the cop stopped his patrol car directly on the tracks behind her as he ordered her out at gunpoint.
A Fort Lupton police officer pulls up behind the Platteville patrol car and joins her colleague in holding the woman at gunpoint. She then frisks, handcuffs and places Rios-Gonzalez in the back of Vazquez’s patrol car before joining other cops in searching the truck for a gun.
At no point, did any of the cops express any safety concerns over the patrol car parked directly on the tracks. Even when the sound of the train got louder as it got closer, it still was not registering with the cops until it was too late.
“Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!” cries the Fort Lupton cop moments before the train strikes the patrol car.
The patrol car was left destroyed more than a hundred feet away.
The cops continued with their search after the collision and said they found a gun inside her truck along with a single bullet and holster.
The name of the Platteville police officer has not been released but the Fort Lupton cop refers to him as “Vazquez” so he is likely Sergeant Pablo Vazquez, according to their staff page.
Vazquez made $67,000 last year, according to GovSalaries.com. He has been placed on paid administrative leave.
Watch the shortened video below or the full video released by Fort Lupton police.
Absolute Dunces. This is who is protecting us ? She has a nice sleeve of gibberish on her arm. Perhaps that’s how she got hired ?
At no point, did any of the cops express any safety concerns over the patrol car parked directly on the tracks. Even when the sound of the train got louder as it got closer, it still was not registering with the cops until it was too late.
anyone smarter then a box of rocks already KNOWS you don’t park or play on train tracks! and when you HEAR a train. most of us would look around to make sure we are not close enough to the tracks to get ran over!