Officer Julian Becerra with the Fountain Police Department for 4.5 years died after he succumbed to his injuries after falling 40 feet from a bridge in Colorado Springs in pursuit of a stolen vehicle suspect. The incident occurred on 2/2/23 and was airlifted to Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs where he succumbed to his injuries at 7:14 p.m. on 2/11/23. He was assisting the Colorado Department of Corrections Parole Unit. Three suspects were involved in the carjacking incident that led to Officer Becerra falling 40 feet from a bridge. At approximately 4 p.m. on Feb. 2, Fountain Police Department was asked to assist in locating a known carjacking suspect from the Pueblo area who had active felony warrants. The vehicle was believed to be northbound on I-25 from Pueblo. The vehicle tracking led officers into Colorado Springs near the Citadel Mall, where several law enforcement agencies in the region began assisting with locating the stolen vehicle At approximately 5:30 pm., the stolen vehicle was seen by officers near Lowe’s on North Academy and Platte Avenue. Officers were unable to safely maintain visual contact due to the suspect driving recklessly and posing a danger to the public. It is believed the suspects were attempting to steal another vehicle at Lowe’s. At 7:15 p.m., the vehicle was located again, southbound on I-25 heading toward Fountain. The stolen vehicle was eventually tracked to the area of Highway 85 and Alegre Circle, where FPD located the vehicle and three suspects. Officers attempted several tactical vehicle interventions to stop the vehicle but were unsuccessful. The vehicle was followed south on Highway 85 through Fountain where the suspects entered the interstate traveling south in the northbound lanes. Due to the dangerous driving, officers stopped following the vehicle due to excessive speeds and the extreme risk to the public. Law enforcement attempted to prevent northbound traffic on I-25 at mile marker 126 when they learned the vehicle made a U-turn and was traveling north in the northbound lanes. Later, officers saw the vehicle pull into the Lowe’s Travel Plaza, located in the 5500 block of Travel Plaza Drive, where police saw the suspects attempt to commit another armed carjacking of a community member in the Lowe’s parking lot. Based on numerous violent felonies continuing to be committed and the extreme risk to the public, law enforcement attempted to apprehend the suspects to prevent the loss of life or serious bodily injury to the public. At approximately 7:45 p.m., officers continued to pursue the suspect vehicle northbound on I-25. The suspect vehicle exited I-25 at South Academy, mile marker 135, where a tire deflation device was used to disable the vehicle. The vehicle was partially disabled but continued to elude officers eastbound on South Academy. Officers then performed a Tactical Vehicle Intervention on the suspects vehicle on South Academy just east of Hartford Street, when the driver of the stolen vehicle identified as 31-year-old Devon Bobian, jumped out of the vehicle and began to run from officers on foot .While officers were trying to capture Bobian,Officer Becerra, fell over the bridge and landed 40 feet below and was then air lifted to a hospital. Bobian attempted to jump off the bridge to run away from the police, at which time the officers grabbed him to prevent his escape and fall. As Bobian was hanging over the bridge he repeatedly stated, “let me go, I want to die,” according to EPSO. The officers were able to pull him up to safety and place him into custody without incident. A total of three suspects were taken into custody and booked into the El Paso County Criminal Justice Center. Bobian, along with two other suspects, who were occupants of the stolen vehicle, were arrested and identified as 28-year-old Danisha Pacheco and 37-year-old Anthony Vallejos. All suspects were from Pueblo. Bobian and Vallejos were arrested on active felony warrants, along with additional felony charges related to this incident. Pacheco was arrested on numerous felony charges and more charges will be filed against the woman in the future. All three suspects were taken into custody and booked into the El Paso County Criminal Justice Center. Julian Becerra is survived by his wife Katie and a 8 year old daughter Bella and a 1 year old son. Officer Becerra is an Air Force veteran.
Devon Bobian,31, Danisha Pacheco,28, and Anthony Vallejos,37, were taken into custody and booked into the El Paso County Criminal Justice Center on 2/2/23. Opening statements began on 5/2/24 for the trial of Devon Bobian, the suspect facing a Second-Degree Murder charge in the death of Officer Julian Becerra.
