The family of a man killed by law officers after he shot a Weld County Sheriff’s deputy in November wants the county and the cities of Greeley and Evans to pay $250,000 or face a lawsuit.
Rueben Reyes, a 20-year-old car theft suspect, was shot after he grabbed Deputy Sam Brownlee’s gun and shot the lawman three times, killing him.
The family is seeking money “based upon the gross negligence, use of unreasonable or excessive force, and failure to act,” according to documents first obtained by KMGH-TV, Channel 7.
The intent-to-sue letter was sent on behalf of Reyes mother, Ermalinda Chavez of Evans, and Amanda Rodriguez of Fort Morgan, the mother of Reyes’ 1-year-old child.
The family alleges officers allowed Reyes to die before seeking medical help for him after the Nov. 23 shooting in the Cave Creek subdivision in Evans. Reyes had led officers on a high-speed chase in a car taken in Fort Morgan.
“Even if lethal force were determined to be necessary and appropriate force, no law enforcement officer nor public employee performed any type of first aid, CPR, or other life-saving maneuvers upon Mr. Reyes at the scene to mitigate the lethal force used,” attorneys for the family wrote to attorneys for Greeley, Evans and Weld County.
“And Mr. Reyes lay alive, face down and handcuffed at the scene, in a pool of his own blood, with the lethal wounds inflicted by law enforcement officers and/or public employees, unaided and untreated for a significant period of time before any paramedics arrived.”
A lawsuit, if filed, would allege “possible state or federal claims for personal injury, wrongful death, and violation of civil rights,” the intent-to-sue letter states.
The family gave the county and two cities until May 10 to make a decision on an out-of-court settlement.
“We would appreciate and invite any and all informal methods to resolve this claim as soon as possible,” the letter states.
The family said it would “decline releasing any information gained from our own independent investigation and interviews to the public, the results of which may significantly impact any or all of the above parties, in hopes of reaching a settlement.”
Joey Bunch: 303-954-1174 or jbunch@denverpost.com
