A Longmont Police Sergeant will not face criminal charges for hitting a shooting suspect with his police vehicle during an armed confrontation near Columbine Elementary School last month.
Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty announced Tuesday that School Resource Officer John Garcia and other officers who apprehended a fleeing 26-year-old Jesus Hilario Rodela on Jan. 13 acted well within the law.
A review by the county’s Critical Incident Team into the incident was independent and thorough, Dougherty said in a news release. “This investigation highlighted that the officers acted lawfully — but also courageously,” Dougherty stated. “Each one of the officers moved quickly to protect community members and faced direct gunfire.”
“This situation,” the county’s head prosecutor said, “could have ended much worse.”
The incident began when officers responded to the location of a stolen vehicle and attempted to contact four individuals. Rodela fled and discarded some of his clothing, the news release states. School Resource Officer Chris Borchowiec moved to protect Columbine Elementary School and encountered Rodela and tried to cut off Rodela’s escape route using his marked police vehicle.
Rodela opened fire on Borchowiec, shooting three times, the news release states. Borchowiec put his vehicle in park and dove onto the ground to take cover. Borchowiec was able to reach his car radio and told officers the suspect had fired at him.
When he saw Rodela, Garcia activated his emergency lights. Garcia is also a school resource officer. Rodela raised his gun at Garcia, who accelerated his police vehicle to strike Rodela, the news release states. Rodela sustained significant injuries and police immediately rendered medical aid, the news release states.
Rodela is currently in Boulder County Jail facing attempted murder and first-degree assault charges.
Officers found Rodela’s handgun at the scene and projectiles were recovered from the police vehicles operated by Borchowiec and Garcia, the news release states. Several blue pills, believed to contain fentanyl, were also recovered from Rodela.
Multiple sources of audio and video evidence collected during the review by the Critical Incident Team captured much of what occurred between Rodela, Borochowiec and Garcia, the news release states.
Rodela had escaped while on parole in Weld County and he was the subject of two active arrest warrants that had identified him as the suspect in multiple cases involving felony aggravated motor vehicle theft charges, according to the news release.
The District’s Attorney’s detailed report can be found at https://www.bouldercounty.org/district-attorney/officer-involved-shooting-decision-letters/.
For individuals interested in the process and findings of the investigation, Dougherty will conduct a virtual town hall via Microsoft Teams at noon on March 1. Questions can be submitted in advance via email to [email protected]. The link to join is https://tinyurl.com/4nu6f976.
Residents can also call into the Town Hall by calling 720-400-7859 ConfID# 844 519 018#
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