Police Say Teen Accused Of Stealing Injured Officer's Car Tried To Sell His Badge

DENVER (CBS4) - An teenager accused of stealing the car of a Denver police officer who was seriously injured in an accident has been taken into custody. He's also accused of trying to sell the officer's badge.

Officer John Adsit was hit by a car Dec. 3 while monitoring a student protest. He is still undergoing treatment.

A few weeks after the accident Adsit's car was stolen from a Marriott Hotel parking lot where his family was staying to be near the hospital while Adsit was fighting for his life.

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Police arrested Emmanuel Gutierrez, 18, in connection with the crime. He was a maintenance worker at the hotel.

Police say Gutierrez admitted stealing the car keys from the family's hotel. According to police, Gutierrez drove the stolen car to another location where he stole other items, including Adsit's police badge.

"The victims' hotel room was broken in to, car keys were stolen," Lynn Kimbrough with the Denver District Attorney's Office said. "That led to the theft of their car."

On Jan 5. Gutierrez is accused of posting the badge for sale on a social media website.

"The officer's badge had been posted for sale online," Kimbrough said.

Gutierrez was arrested the next day on multiple warrants and the car was later recovered.

The hotel says Gutierrez's employment there has been terminated. He's scheduled to appear in court Wednesday afternoon.

Adsit is still recovering in the hospital.