Defendant Convicted, Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Seriously Injuring Brighton Police Officer During 2023 Arrest

Brighton, CO – Today, District Attorney Brian Mason is announcing the conviction and sentence for Robert Trujillo, 51, following his guilty plea to First-Degree Assault in Adams County District Court. On August 16, 2023, Brighton Police responded to Overland Trail Middle School on North 19th Avenue in reference to an individual with a felony domestic violence warrant who was sitting in his vehicle in the parking lot. Robert Trujillo was sitting in the driver’s seat of his vehicle, and it was backed into a parking space. When Brighton Police Officers arrived, one parked in front of Trujillo’s vehicle and the other parked behind it. Trujillo attempted to back out and rammed into one of the BPD cars. Officer Alejandro Covarrubias confronted the defendant and attempted to place him under arrest. However, Trujillo resisted, put the car in drive, stepped on the gas pedal, and took off with Officer Covarrubias hanging onto the driver’s side door. The defendant slammed his vehicle into another car which violently knocked open the driver’s side door and hit Officer Covarrubias who received a fractured hip as a result. Trujillo crashed into two other cars in the parking lot, fled his vehicle, and ran into a nearby apartment. He was later apprehended. On September 27, 2024, Trujillo pleaded guilty to First-Degree Assault (Serious Bodily Injury with Deadly Weapon) (F3), and on January 8, 2025, Adams County District Court Judge Brett Martin sentenced the defendant to 20 years in the Department of Corrections. “The actions of this defendant are truly outrageous,” said District Attorney Brian Mason. “As you’ll see in the body cam video, this defendant nearly killed Officer Covarrubias when he attempted to flee. Our law enforcement partners put themselves in harm’s way each and every day to protect our communities. I’m thankful for the work they do to keep us safe.”  “This incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers law enforcement officers face every day. I am proud of the actions taken by Officer Covarrubias and all the members of the Brighton Police Department team who worked to get this dangerous criminal off the streets and into custody,” said Chief Matthew Domenico, Brighton Police Department. “I want to thank our partners at the District Attorney’s Office for their efforts to hold this defendant accountable and am grateful for Officer Covarrubias’ hard work to recover from his injuries and return to the critically important job of protecting the Brighton community.” Senior Deputy District Attorney Mike Whitney and Deputy District Attorney Michael Perez led the prosecution of this case. The video from Officer Covarrubias’ body camera can be found contained within this link,Covarrubias Body Cam. Please be advised it is graphic. A secondary body camera angle from Officer McKeehan can be found within this link, Mckeehan Body Cam.