FOUNTAIN, Colo. — A man is facing a second-degree murder charge in the death of a Fountain police officer who fell off a bridge at the conclusion of a chase involving the suspect earlier this year.
Devon Bobian, 32, was charged June 30 in connection with the death of Fountain police officer Julian Becerra.
Becerra was injured when he fell off a bridge at the end of a pursuit involving Bobian on Feb. 2, the sheriff's office said. He died at the hospital nine days later, on Feb. 11.
According to an arrest affidavit written by an El Paso County Sheriff's Office deputy, on the night of the chase, Fountain police had been tracking a Hyundai Tucson that was reported stolen out of Pueblo.
Police found the car in Fountain and tried to pull the driver over, but he refused to stop, the affidavit says. They followed the car until the driver turned onto Interstate 25, the affidavit says. He was going the wrong way on the interstate, so officers tried to pass him to get in front of him and stop any traffic that was going the correct direction, the affidavit says. The suspect eventually made a u-turn and began traveling in the correct direction.
According to the affidavit, three people who were in the car later tried to rob a woman at a gas station off the interstate. The victim detailed that incident to officers, according to the affidavit.
When officers arrived at that scene, the suspects got back into the Tucson and left, with Fountain police chasing them, according to the affidavit.
Around 8 p.m., the affidavit says, the driver of the Tucson excited the interstate at South Academy Boulevard. The driver went northeast on Academy and was eventually stopped by police using a tactical maneuver. When the car came to a stop, it was pinned in by two patrol cars, the affidavit says.
Becerra got out of his car and found himself pinned between his car and the guardrail, the affidavit says. Two passengers and Bobian all got out of the Tucson. Bobian tried to get away by climbing onto the roof of the Tucson, then jumping to the roof of Becerra's car, the affidavit says.
"While on top of Officer Becerra's vehicle, Bobian stopped, turned toward Officer Becerra, standing over the top of him, leaning forward and pointing toward Officer Becerra, in a threatening manner," the affidavit says.
While Bobian was standing on top of Becerra's car and facing Becerra, the affidavit says, Becerra fell over the guardrail and landed on the ground about 40 feet below the bridge.
Bobian eventually ran across the hood of Becerra's car and northeast on Academy Boulevard, where officers tased him and took him into custody, the affidavit says.
An autopsy report from the El Paso County Coroner's Office says Becerra died of multiple blunt force injuries, and the manner of death was accident.
The sheriff's office said they began investigating the case after Becerra's death and presented their findings to the district attorney's office in June. According to court records, Bobian is now facing charges of:
- second-degree murder
- aggravated robbery
- attempted aggravated robbery
- felony menacing
- vehicular eluding
- aggravated motor vehicle theft
- possession of a weapon by a previous offender (two counts)
Bobian was already in prison for a previous sentence when the new charges were filed against him, the sheriff's office said. His next court date was not immediately available.
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