Posts
A 45-year-old Corona man seeks more than $600,000 in damages from the city after he said a police officer broke his jaw and ribs during a traffic stop.
Jorge Reyna De La Cruz has sued the city, alleging false imprisonment, civil rights violations and excessive force. The lawsuit, filed in February, says De La Cruz, a janitor, had two jaw surgeries and suffered lost earnings.
He put in a claim for $500,000 in general damages and $63,817 in medical bills. His attorney, Gary Bennett of Laguna Hills, said Friday that his client's bills have now exceeded $100,000.
The city is also defending itself in an unrelated lawsuit in which a Corona man alleged that police used excessive force on him during an altercation last year at the Dos Lagos shopping center.
"The city of Corona has received both claims," Police Chief Richard Madory said. "We as a Police Department, and as the city as a whole, take these claims very seriously and each one is looked into thoroughly. Both of these claims have been denied. Unfortunately, due to pending litigation, we are unable to discuss any further details involving either matter."
De La Cruz's lawsuit gave this account of the incident:
On April 2, 2010, he was pulled over by Officer Robert Wilfert on Sixth Street because De La Cruz's car had a burned-out headlight.
De La Cruz had trouble rolling down the window because the crank was broken. Wilfert tried to open the door from the outside, but that handle was broken, too.
De La Cruz eventually partially rolled down the window but, because he doesn't speak English, was unable to communicate with Wilfert.
The officer then reached inside and opened the door, pulled De La Cruz out and threw him on the pavement, breaking his jaw.
Wilfert then hit him in the ribs.
De La Cruz was arrested on suspicion of resisting arrest and driving without a valid license. He was never charged with resisting arrest, court records show. He was convicted of the license violation.
No comments:
Post a Comment