WELD COUNTY, Colo. — The Fort Lupton police officer who placed a handcuffed woman inside a patrol car that was struck by a train while parked on the tracks testified Tuesday that she saw the tracks but "did not perceive them" because her focus was elsewhere.
"I am sure that my eyes looked at the railroad tracks at some level," Officer Jordan Steinke said. "But I did not perceive them because that is not where the threat was going to come from. The threat was going to come from her."
Steinke was referring to Yareni Rios, who was accused of pointing a gun at another driver during a road rage incident in September. Platteville Police Officer Pablo Vazquez pulled Rios over, and when he did, he parked his patrol car on a set of railroad tracks.
Steinke responded to assist Vasquez and eventually placed a handcuffed Rios in the back of Vasquez's patrol car. Not long after, a freight train hit the vehicle with Rios still inside. Rios survived but suffered serious injuries.
"I was fairly certain that that particular stop was going to end in a gunfight," Steinke said. "I never in a million years thought a train was going to come plowing through my scene."
The trial for Steinke, who is charged with attempted reckless manslaughter and two misdemeanor counts, began Monday in Weld County District Court. Prosecutors rested their case and Steinke's defense began presenting evidence Tuesday. They called one witness before Steinke took the stand in her own defense.
Steinke testified that she placed Rios into the Platteville patrol car because it was the closest and her primary concern was getting Rios "secure." She suggested in her testimony that she did not see the tracks because it was "incredibly dark" and she was focused on Rios and the lights of Vasquez's patrol car when she pulled up.
"I work with railroad tracks every day in Fort Lupton, that is absolutely true," she said. "What has never happened to me, I've never had to distrust a tactical decision or a move, parking position of any of my fellow officers. I trusted that Sgt. Vasquez's vehicle was in a secure location at that time."
She said the tracks were "flush" with the ground and that she never saw the train until it was too late.
"I saw the front headlights of the train and heard the horn at the same time right before impact," she said while fighting back tears. "When I realized there was going to be an impact I was fearful I was going to be hit by debris. So I just tried to run away and entirely expected to be hit by something. So I just wanted to get as far away from it as I could."
Steinke said she didn't immediately realize which patrol car was hit and "screamed" when she realized it was the vehicle with Rios inside.
During their cross-examination, prosecutors asked Steinke whether she had seen a stop sign or a railroad crossing sign and she responded "not at the time" and explained that her focus was elsewhere. Prosecutors then asked why she didn't take stock of her surroundings.
"That is something I should have done," she said.
Testimony in her trial wrapped early on Tuesday and isn't expected to resume until Thursday morning when her defense team is expected to call two additional witnesses.
Vasquez is charged with eight misdemeanor counts and is due in court next month.
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