Former Colorado Officer Escapes Jail Time for Putting Handcuffed Woman in Train-Hit Police Vehicle

A former Colorado police officer, Jordan Steinke, has been sentenced to 30 months of supervised probation and 100 hours of community service for putting a handcuffed woman in a parked police vehicle that was hit by a freight train, causing serious injuries. Steinke was found guilty of reckless endangerment and assault but acquitted of criminal attempt to commit manslaughter. The judge initially planned to sentence her to jail but changed his mind after both prosecutors and defense attorneys sought probation. Steinke apologized to the victim and expressed her intention to give educational talks to new police officers about the dangers of railroad tracks. The victim, Yareni Rios-Gonzalez, who suffered a brain injury, is conflicted about how Steinke should be punished. Steinke was fired from the police department and is expected to lose her certification, preventing her from becoming a police officer again. The officer who parked the vehicle on the tracks, Pablo Vazquez, still faces trial.