Berthoud Police Officer Fired In Child Abuse Case

BERTHOUD, Colo. (AP) — A Berthoud police officer who was arrested by Loveland police for allegedly punching and kicking his teenage daughter has been fired by the town manager after the police chief was put on leave pending the outcome of an investigation.

Officer Jeremy Yachik was fired last Friday after he was accused of physically abusing his teenage daughter on at least four occasions last year.

Yachik was arrested Oct. 23 on a warrant charging him with four counts of child abuse resulting in injury and one count of false imprisonment, which are all misdemeanor charges.

Yachik was arrested about one month after Berthoud town board members and Loveland police received an email from Yachik's former fiancee accusing him of abuse. The email included a video recording of a child being choked, punched and kicked by an adult male.

According to the arrest affidavit, Yachik and his daughter identified themselves in the video, which was taken in his home.

His former fiancee told investigators that she attempted to report the incident to Berthoud Police Chief Glenn Johnson, but she received no response.

Loveland police were called in and executed search warrants at Yachik's home and also at Johnson's office, where three computers were seized. According to an affidavit, the search confirmed Yachik's fiancée had attempted to report the alleged abuse to Johnson.

Johnson was placed on administrative leave Oct. 3. Larimer County Sheriff's Sgt. John Feyen is serving as interim police chief during the criminal investigation.

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