CSPD officer’s use of force in deadly car chase justified

(COLORADO SPRINGS) — The use of force by an officer with the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) in a deadly car chase on April 13, 2023, has been deemed justified by the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office (DA).

According to the DA, Officer Matt Anderson performed a Tactical Vehicle Intervention (also called a PIT maneuver) that night on a stolen car, intending to stop a high-speed chase, which resulted in a crash that killed one person. According to Colorado law, any use of force by a peace officer that results in death must be reviewed by a multi-agency team called a Deadly Force Investigation (DFI) Team.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: One suspect dead after officer-involved crash in Colorado Springs

According to the DA, at 12:54 a.m. on April 13, CSPD officers responded to an armed carjacking at an apartment complex near East Fountain Boulevard and North Academy Boulevard, in which two men wearing black clothing and face masks held a woman at gunpoint. The DA said the men put the gun directly to the woman’s head and demanded her purse and keys, then stole her 2020 Hyundai Kona.

Officer Thalia Spinelli and Officer Noah Howard were patrolling the area around 2:30 a.m. when they identified the stolen vehicle at a Loaf ‘N Jug off Delta Drive, and spotted two men fitting the description of the suspects sitting in the car. Officer Howard noted that he was concerned that they intended to continue committing crimes, as they were still wearing the black masks described by the victim, even while in the car.

Officer Spinelli followed the Hyundai south on Academy and signaled for the driver to pull over, but the suspects fled, continuing west on Hancock Expressway. Speeds in the pursuit reached between 60 and 80 mph in 35 and 45 mph zones, the DA said. The Hyundai turned onto Circle Drive, continuing to drive at high speeds, and running stoplights to evade the police.

As they approached the intersection of Circle Drive and East Pikes Peak Avenue, Officer Anderson performed the PIT maneuver just north of the intersection of S. Circle Drive and E. Pikes Peak Ave at about 2:39 a.m., causing the Hyundai to crash. At the time of the crash, the DA said the suspects were speeding at about 90 mph, the driver never pressed the brakes, and neither suspect was wearing a seatbelt.

Officers pulled one of the suspects, Henry Jackson, from the passenger’s seat and tried to give aid to him, but he was already dead. Officers found a loaded handgun and the carjacking victim’s wallet on Jackson.

The driver of the vehicle, D’Angelo Flynn, was arrested and is facing charges of Felony Aggravated Robbery and Vehicular Eluding, as well as a charge of Crime of Violence. His court date is set for Wednesday, March 20, 2024.

In considering whether the use of force through the PIT Maneuver was justified, the DFI Team took into consideration several factors. Though it was performed at speeds higher than advised in training, there is no explicit rule that it should not be performed above certain speeds. Officer Anderson stated that he took into account several factors when making the decision, including the road conditions and lack of traffic, as well as the dangers of crossing the upcoming intersection of North Circle Drive and East Platte Avenue at such high speeds.

The DFI Team ruled that Officer Anderson’s actions were justified as there were no other reasonable alternatives to stop a reckless car chase involving a vehicle that had been stolen at gunpoint, and it was in the interest of protecting the community and CSPD officers.

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