A Colorado woman , Yareni Rios-Gonzalez, has secured an $8.5 million settlement in a civil lawsuit after she was struck by a freight train while handcuffed in the back of a police car ,
The 2022 incident resulted in severe injuries and raised significant concerns over police misconduct .
The near-fatal event occurred when Rios-Gonzalez, then 20, was pulled over by Sgt. Pablo Vazquez of the Platteville Police Department for allegedly brandishing a handgun during a road rage incident.
Officers Jordan Steinke and Ryan Thomeczek from the nearby Fort Lupton Police Department arrived at the scene to assist with the arrest , as the incident had occurred within their jurisdiction .
In a critical error, Sgt. Vazquez parked his patrol car directly on active train tracks, and Rios-Gonzalez was placed inside the vehicle, handcuffed.
Despite the sound of an approaching train horn, none of the officers reacted in time . As the freight train barreled down, the officers fled the scene, leaving Rios trapped in the backseat.