An El Paso County sheriff’s deputy injured when he was dragged 40 yards during a traffic stop in May did not follow two safety policies before contacting the driver, according to an internal investigation released today.

Deputy Chris DeStefano, an 11-year veteran, suffered severe road rash, a broken facial bone, a dislocated finger and received numerous stitches on his head and face from the May 1 incident.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, the following led up to the deputy being injured:

DeStefano first tried to pull over a speeding SUV as it was traveling north on Main Street in Security. The driver made two quick left turns onto Rosemont Drive before pulling over.

DeStefano was unable to notify dispatchers that he was pulling over a speeder or relay the license plate number of the vehicle because of the high volume of radio traffic at the time, the Sheriff’s Office said.

DeStefano decided to contact the driver without notifying dispatchers, and approached the vehicle with his gun drawn and down by his side.

When a deputy can’t reach dispatch when making a traffic stop, Sheriff’s Office policy dictates that deputies activate an emergency notification signal through their patrol car computers.

The signal brings an immediate radio response from dispatchers. The internal review found that DeStefano did not activate the emergency signal before leaving his patrol car to contact the driver.

While telling the driver the reason for the traffic stop, DeStefano noticed the vehicle rolling forward. The vehicle drove away as DeStefano grabbed the driver’s shirt and told him repeatedly to stop and turn off the engine.

Sheriff’s deputies are trained to never reach inside a moving vehicle to turn off the ignition or pull someone out, said deputy Teresa Murphy, a sheriff’s spokeswoman.

As a result of the incident, all deputies received refresher training on safety during traffic stops. DeStefano did not receive any disciplinary action and has been on modified work duty while he recovers from his injuries, Murphy said. He is expected to be cleared for full duty in the coming days.

No one has been arrested in connection with the incident. Anyone with information can call the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office at 719-390-5555 or Crimestoppers anonymously at 719-634-7867.

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