Officer's Reckless Driving Kills Two in CDOC

Grace Cortez a 22-year-old correctional officer, rolled a van she was driving, killing herself and 57-year-old inmate Andres Valdez. The accident happened on Interstate 70 between Genoa and Limon at around 11 A.M. on Dec. 19.

According to police reports, Cortez was intentionally exceeding the 75 mph speed limit and passing slower moving traffic on an icy road in dangerously high winds while pulling a trailor. Witnesses say Cortez lost control while passing and swerved into the median, flipping the van twice.

The van carried eight other inmates and an additional unidentified correctional officer. Cortez and Valdez were pronounced dead at the scene, the other passengers were taken to Lincoln Community Hospital in Hugo with undisclosed injuries. The van was transporting inmates from Kit Carson Correctional Facility in Burlington to Limon prison when the accident occurred.

Inmates in Colorado's prison system say they are not surprised by the accident or the fatalities. They say that during transport inmates are cuffed and shackled and not allowed to wear seat belts.

Inmates also complain that correctional officers, particularly younger ones, seem to have something to prove so they drive fast and erratic to try and get a rise out of inmates and intimidate them - show them who's the boss.

One inmate told how a Fremont Correctional Facility transport team loaded a van full of inmates, put in ear plugs, and then turned the van radio up as loud as it would go. The CDOC employees then drove at excessive speeds around tight curves taunting the inmates that they could not hear their complaints to turn off the music and slow down.

Another inmate familiar with the incident said "they know we are powerless and they take advantage of it, it is just the type of person who takes the job as CO to begin with."

Related News

Officer Derrick Curtis Saunders is appealing his firing from the Denver police force for driving 143 mph while legally intoxicated, Curtis argues the loss of his job is overly harsh and unfair.

On June 17, 2010 Saunders was clocked going 143 mph in a 55 - mph zone in Arapahoe County. He was later sentenced to five days in jail and fined $300.

Saunders was fired on Dec. 7 by then Manager of Safety Alex Martinez who wrote, "Your misconduct demonstrates a willful and wanton disregard of Department values and demonstrates a serious lack of character related to fitness.''

In 2009 Saunders was accused of waving his gun at a McDonald’s drive-through attendant while complaining about service.