West
Former Colorado police officer gets probation after detaining a woman in a car that was hit by a train
![Former Colorado police officer gets probation after detaining a woman in a car that was hit by a train Former Colorado police officer gets probation after detaining a woman in a car that was hit by a train](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/train-car-crash.jpg)
- In 2022, a police officer in Fort Lupton, Colorado, arrested a woman in a road-rage incident and left her in a car that was parked on train tracks.
- The woman, Yareni Rios-Gonzalez, suffered a traumatic brain injury after a freight train struck the parked vehicle.
- Former Police Officer Jordan Steinke has avoided jail but was sentenced to serve 30 months on supervised probation.
A former Colorado police officer who put a handcuffed woman in a parked police vehicle that was hit by a freight train, causing the woman to suffer serious injuries, has avoided a jail sentence and must instead serve 30 months on supervised probation.
Jordan Steinke, 29, was sentenced Friday by Weld County District Court Judge Timothy Kerns, who found her guilty of reckless endangerment and assault for the Sept. 16, 2022, crash near Platteville. Kerns acquitted the former Fort Lupton police officer of criminal attempt to commit manslaughter after her bench trial in July.
Kerns said he had planned to sentence Steinke to jail, but he changed his mind after both prosecutors and defense attorneys sought a probationary sentence, The Denver Post reported.
OFFICER PLACED ON LEAVE AFTER TRAIN CRASHED INTO POLICE CAR PARKED ON TRACKS WITH SUSPECT INSIDE
“Someone is going to hear this and say: ‘Another officer gets off,’ ” Kerns said. “That’s not the facts of this case.”
He ordered Steinke to perform 100 hours of community service. And if she violates the terms of her probation, “I will harken back to my original gut response as to how to address sentencing,” Kerns warned.
Steinke, who wept during the sentencing hearing, apologized to Yareni Rios-Gonzalez, who attended the hearing virtually.
“What happened that night has haunted me for 364 days,” Steinke said. “I remember your cries and your screams.”
A freight train barrels toward a parked police car with a suspect inside on Sep. 16, 2022, in Fort Lupton, Colorado. (Fort Lupton Police Department via AP, File)
Steinke said she hoped to fulfill some of her community service by giving educational talks to new police officers about the dangers of railroad tracks and the importance of officers being aware of their surroundings.
Then-Plateville Police Sgt. Pablo Vazquez had stopped Rios-Gonzalez after a reported road-rage incident involving a gun. Steinke took her into custody and locked her in Vazquez’s police vehicle, which was parked on the railroad tracks. A train crashed into the SUV.
Rios-Gonzalez, who suffered a lasting brain injury and is in pain, was conflicted about how she wanted Steinke to be punished, attorney Chris Ponce said.
CO OFFICER WHO PUT WOMAN IN PATROL VEHICLE THAT WAS HIT BY TRAIN CLAIMS SHE DIDN’T REALIZE CAR WAS ON TRACKS
“The conflict that she feels is one where every day she has to feel this pain,” Ponce said. “And she’s had to deal with (doctor) appointments and having her life so radically changed. And feeling upset, very upset about that — angry about that — but on the other hand, feeling for Ms. Steinke, and, I think, truly empathetically feeling sorry for how she lost her career.”
Steinke was fired from the Fort Lupton police department after her conviction. She is expected to lose her Peace Officer Standards and Training certification, her attorney Mallory Revel said, meaning she can never be a police officer again.
During Steinke’s trial, her defense attorneys said she did not know that Vazquez had parked his police vehicle on the tracks.
Vazquez still faces trial for his role in the crash. He has been charged with five counts of reckless endangerment for allegedly putting Rios-Gonzalez, Steinke and three other people at risk, as well as for traffic-related violations, including parking where prohibited.
Rios-Gonzalez has also filed a lawsuit against the police agencies involved.
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Alaska
Weekend rain and sun for Alaska
![Weekend rain and sun for Alaska Weekend rain and sun for Alaska](https://gray-ktuu-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/R4HHU6ZFF5F2ZM5NW5Z5PUOAP4.jpg?auth=7992cf78f392ab36a55a6707934db0f80a81a7eea289d4c86c280ac79652027b&width=1200&height=600&smart=true)
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Rainy, windy weather greeted southcentral on Friday. Unsettled weather will keep a dearth of clouds, rain showers, even some snow showers over the state through the weekend. Temperatures cooled considerably along the north slope and interior with the rain’s arrival.
Southcentral is on the lucky end of the weather pattern, expecting to see clearing skies, drying conditions and sunshine into the weekend.
An upper trough is driving the wet weather across the state.
This is the first round of wet weather, with another big storm arriving over the Aleutians and western Alaska on Sunday. Southcentral can anticipate the return of wet weather by Monday.
Southeast will see showers, and cloudy skies. Highs in the low to mid 60s.
Copyright 2024 KTUU. All rights reserved.
Arizona
Consumer Reports: Weatherproofing your home for Arizona heat and storms
![Consumer Reports: Weatherproofing your home for Arizona heat and storms Consumer Reports: Weatherproofing your home for Arizona heat and storms](https://gray-kpho-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GW2NXLDHBFENPDTGENWCG6WGQY.jpg?auth=31400b33f4402e61fa01dacb7853daa2edf68493e314fbdaf2a39a7f103e21f8&width=1200&height=600&smart=true)
(CONSUMER) —Summer isn’t all fun in the sun. It increasingly includes dangerous heat and severe storms, but there are ways to protect yourself and your home.
Consumer Reports explains that a good defense against Mother Nature’s warm weather wrath starts with DIY projects around the house.
Climate change brings more frequent and destructive weather from coast to coast. That’s led to a dramatic increase in many homeowner’s insurance policies. But that price hike doesn’t mean you’re getting more coverage.
Homeowner’s insurance generally doesn’t cover water from outside your house, so supplementing your insurance with a flood policy is not a bad idea.
Even without a flood, extreme heat can damage water in surprising ways, specifically with your plumbing. Take metal pipes: They can expand and contract and, over time, leak.
You should inspect your plumbing routinely or have a plumber do it regularly. You could also consider installing a leak detector. They’re a little expensive upfront but can save you tons of money in the long run.
Consumer Reports recommends the leak detector, Flo by Moen Smart Water Shutoff System 900-001, which costs $500.
Extreme heat can wreak havoc on your roofing even when the weather is dry. It’s essential to inspect it and look for damaged shingles or tiles and replace them before they leak and cause more damage.
The heat could overtax your air conditioning system. Regularly replacing the air filters and scheduling routine professional maintenance will help avoid pricey repairs later.
High heat and humidity can also create ideal conditions for mold and mildew. To prevent this, you should keep the humidity inside your home between thirty and fifty percent.
Anything higher and mold and dust mites can thrive. A dehumidifier can help with that.
Consumer Reports tested dozens of dehumidifiers and found that the Midea MAD50C1ZWS, priced at $250 for larger rooms, does a great job of removing water from the air, which helps maintain the ideal humidity in your home.
If you’re concerned about power outages, a portable generator can help power the essentials in your home.
You’ll want to store a generator in a clean, dry, and ventilated spot that you can access easily and that is NOT attached to the house.
You’ll want to have at least 10 gallons of fresh gasoline on hand in a safety container, adding fuel stabilizer to help it last as long as possible.
Copyright 2024 KTVK/KPHO via Consumer Reports. All rights reserved.
California
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