Officer avoids jail after handcuffed suspect left in police car gets hit by train

Footage shows the moment a train ploughed into the patrol car left on the tracks

A former officer has avoided jail after leaving a woman handcuffed in a patrol car on railway tracks, which then got hit by a train.

Yareni Rios-Gonzalez had been pulled over by police in Colorado following a road rage incident in September last year.

Then officer Jordan Steinke placed Ms Rios-Gonzalez into a police vehicle parked in the middle of a marked railroad crossing.

Body camera and dash cam footage showed her screaming for help as the train approached and struck the vehicle. The 21-year-old suffered nine broken ribs and a broken arm in addition to other injuries, but survived the crash.

Ms Steinke was convicted of reckless endangerment and third-degree assault, but acquitted of a felony charge of criminal attempt to commit manslaughter.

The 29-year-old, who lost her job over the incident, will serve 30 months of supervised probation and 100 hours of public service.

The former officer addressed Ms Rios-Gonzelez directly in the hearing: “I understand, recognise and empathize that Ms. Rios-Gonzalez and her family have endured a great deal of physical, emotional and psychological pain," she said.

“As a police officer, I never intended for another human to come to harm under my watch. I feel very much responsible for what happened to you that night. What happened that night has haunted me for 364 days.”

Ms. Rios-Gonzalez's attorney told the court their client Rios not feel strongly about Steinke serving jail time and felt “very sorry” for her instead.

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