Affidavit details moment when Fountain Police Officer fell from bridge during pursuit
EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) - Four months after an officer with the Fountain Police Officer died from injuries sustained in a pursuit, a man now faces charges connected to his death. KRDO obtained an affidavit that outlines what led up to the deadly fall.
According to an arrest affidavit, 32-year-old Devon Andrew Bobian faces the charges of Murder in the second degree (F3), Aggravated robbery (F3), Vehicular eluding (F5), Criminal attempt (aggravated robbery) (F4), Possession of weapons by previous offenders (F5), and Aggravated motor vehicle theft (F4).
Fountain Police Officer Julian Becerra was identified as one of three victims of Bobian.
13 Investigates previously uncovered that Bobian is a four-time convicted felon who had escaped from a community corrections site in Pueblo two months before the February incident. At that time, Bobian had active warrants out for his arrest.
According to the Fountain Police Department (FPD), the February 2 incident began around 5:30 p.m. when officers spotted a vehicle reported stolen out of Pueblo near N. Academy Blvd. and Platte Ave. The suspects were identified as Bobian, Anthony Vallejos, and Danisha Pacheco. Investigators state the suspects were driving recklessly and drove the wrong way down lanes at several points during the pursuit.
The chase eventually led officers to a Love's Travel Center in Fountain. According to the new arrest affidavit, the three suspects were seen near a silver Toyota 4Runner in the parking lot. The owner of the Toyota told investigators she was about to pump gas when one of the suspects approached her, flashed a gun at her, and demanded her keys and to empty her pockets.
The owner said the man pointed the muzzle toward her while the other two suspects got inside her vehicle. She said she refused to give over her keys and walked away but turned around and told the three to get out of her vehicle. That's when police arrived with lights activated and the suspects ran from her vehicle back into the Hyundai they came in.
The vehicle pursuit finally ended when the FPD utilized a Tactical Vehicle Intervention (TVI) technique to prevent Bobian, who was the driver, from getting away. This happened on S. Academy Blvd.
Bobian got out and tried running away by climbing on the roof of the Hyundai and then jumping onto the patrol vehicle of Becerra.
While on top of Becerra's vehicle, the affidavit states Bobian stopped, turned toward the officer, leaned forward, and pointed at Becerra "in a threatening manner." He then turned and ran across the hood of Becerra's vehicle and began running on Academy Blvd.
The affidavit states FPD Officers utilized a Taser device and were able to detain Bobian. Still, while trying to handcuff him, Bobian reportedly resisted and crawled toward the edge of the bridge. Before he could jump, officers were able to lift him back to the bridge surface where he was taken into custody.
According to the affidavit, Becerra fell over the guardrail when Bobian was standing on top of Becerra's vehicle and was facing him.
Becerra fell 40 feet to the ground below. He was airlifted to Memorial Central Hospital but died nine days later on Feb. 11, 2023.
An autopsy determined Becerra died as a result of multiple blunt force trauma injuries due to the fall. The manner of death was ruled an accident.
In a public briefing in February, Fountain Mayor Sharon Thompson blamed what happened to Becerra on what she believes to be failed bail initiatives and the lack of accountability in the justice system.
"They should never have been out on the street in the first place. But due to a lack of accountability in our justice system and failed bail reform initiatives, they were allowed to prey on our citizens and create the circumstances that put Officer Becerra on the bridge that night," Thompson said.
The other two suspects, Pacheco and Vallejos, face charges directly tied to their conduct on the night of Becerra's death. However, they have not been charged directly with his death.
