A Weld County grand jury has cleared a LaSalle officer of criminal wrongdoing in the January shooting of an off-duty Adams County sheriff’s deputy.
The grand jury report filed Friday known the LaSalle officer as Caroline Persichetti, who on Jan. 16 shot Adams County deputy Jesse Jenson following a high-speed chase on U.S. 85 in Weld County near Evans.
Persichetti was chasing Jenson and some other driver, who besides was speeding down the main road. The report does not explain what preceded the chase and why Jenson was involved in it. Jenson, who was driving a Toyota 4-Runner, ran the other driver who was in a jeep nationalist, off the road.
Jenson’s autopsy report showed that he died of two gunshot wounds to the head, and it aforementioned he had a blood-alcohol level of 0.073. The legal limit for a DUI is 0.08. He besides had fluoxetine hydrocholoride hydrocholoride, an antidepressant drug drug more usually known as fluoxetine hydrocholoride, in his system.
After hearing testimony about the shooting, the grand jury declined to charge Persichetti with manslaughter.
“In reviewing the evidence in a light most favorable to the prosecution, it is clear that Jesse Jenson drove recklessly and engaged in a car chase with the jeep nationalist,” the report declared. “In this instance, it does not matter whether or not Jenson actually intcomplete to hit the nationalist or any other car, it appeared to Officer Persichetti that he was driving in this manner.”
The report declared that Persichetti acted in self-defense when she shot Jenson.
Police first began following the jeep nationalist that was “driving in a reckless manner and forcing vehicles off the road,” the grand jury report declared.
Fort Lupton and Platteville police complete their pursuit before the two SUVs entered LaSalle, and Persichetti joined on the south end of town, the report aforementioned. She told the grand jury some SUVs were exceptional 90 mph.
Another LaSalle officer deployed sticks to stop the jeep piece on the north end of town, south of the Platte stream bridge, according to the report. When the drivers reached the bridge, the jeep hit the stop sticks.
The drivers continued going and the Toyota pulled next to the jeep, swerve at the jeep and forcing it onto the shoulder, according to the report.
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“The actions made Officer Persichetti believe the occupants of the jeep nationalist were victims of the aggressive driving,” the report declared.
The jeep continued to accelerate, heading north on U.S. 85, and the Toyota stopped-up at U.S. 85 and 42nd Street. Jenson got of the Toyota and neglected commands from Persichetti to stop and get on the ground, according to her testimony before the grand jury.
“Jesse Jenson continued his advance toward Officer Persichetti in a manner in which his left hand was not visible,” the report declared.
Persichetti discharged her gun and hit Jenson, expression she feared for her life as Jenson “aggressively approached.” Jenson was unarmed.