Yessenia Garca and her lawyers, Benjamin Taylor and Anthony Ramirez,released body camera footage and surveillance videoof the incident that took place on May 24, 2020, in Old Town Scottsdale. I was arrested, forced to strip, humiliated, and my photo put all over the news because the police chose to ignore the evidence. The Yuma Regional Medical Center felt a surge of its own as migrants have racked up more than $26 million in medical bills over a year. But Garcia's attorneys claim that if officers had actually checked the bar's surveillance video, they would have seen Garcia and Thompson leaving the club 20 minutes after the hit-and-run. When employees fall short of those standards, there are consequences. I know that does not change how the events unfolded that evening or how Ms. Garcia was affected, and for that she has my most sincere apologies., Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. A pair of Valley attorneys have agreed to represent a woman falsely accused of a hit-and-run accident by Scottsdale officers who overlooked clear evidence of her innocence. Please read our social. "Anybody that's been wrongfully accused of a crime and their mugshot has been shown. "We are not infallible and any expectation of such is unrealistic. According to Tuesdays police press release, the departments internal investigation found that technical difficulties prevented officers from watching the security video before they made the arrest. The footage also shows Garcia's car getting damaged by a man who jumped on the hood and stomped on the windshieldaround 10 p.m., according to court records. Her lawsuit seeks at least $300,000 plus punitive damages. Vous pouvez modifier vos choix tout moment en consultant vos paramtres de vie prive. Violent Crime Control Act. Federal Lawsuit Seeks Millions in 2021 Hollywood Police Shooting That Left Man Paralyzed. 14, 2017 12:45AM ET Published Sep. 25, 2012 11:00AM ET Scottsdale. In May 2020, Yesse Garcia was leaving a Scottsdale bar with friends when she found her car with a broken windshield. Newly obtained police records identified six Scottsdale police officers and two retired officers who violated department policy when arresting a woman who was wrongly accused of a. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Brian Steel, Unknown Parties, Kavon Attorpour, Ben Roberson, C Malley, City of Scottsdale Police Department, N Fay, J Ghiglia, Scottsdale, City of and Kavon Attarpour: Case Number: 2:2021cv00914: Filed: May 24, 2021: Court: US District Court for the District of Arizona: Presiding Judge: John Z Boyle (PS) Referring Judge: However, those officers accused Garcia of being involved in the crash, body-worn camera footage showed. Detective (Current Employee) - Scottsdale, AZ - January 18, 2018. Summary by Ground News. her story was reported by ABC15 earlier this month, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Until ABC15s reporting on her case earlier this month, she was struggling to find a civil lawyer to continue the case because of distinct challenges like qualified immunity in suing police departments. You can explore additional available newsletters here. Once at the police station, Garcia's lawyers claim "she was subjected to a blood draw" and was "stripped nude in humiliating fashion in order to collect evidence of the fictional glass.". Published: Jan. 12, 2022 at 7:13 AM PST. Garcia filed a civillawsuit in federal court in May but was told by her lawyer she wouldn't win because of qualified immunity so she had decided to drop her claim. The pair didnt know that police had responded to a hit-and-run 30 minutes earlier about 0.3 miles away. Several hundred supporters of Arizonas school vouchers program marched near the state Capitol on Wednesday, saying the program gives parents more education options for their kids. KELLER, Texas - The city of Keller agreed to pay $200,000 to settle a lawsuit with a man who accused two police officers of excessive force during a traffic stop. Yessenia Garcia says she was wrongly charged by the Scottsdale Police Department, despite evidence she wasn't involved in a hit-and-run crash. Phone: 4803125000 In Person: Scottsdale Police Department, 8401 E Indian School Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85251, United States Find My Report For Me When Should I Request a Legal Consultation? We shouldnt have to fear false arrest, humiliation or even death for simply seeking help from the police, Garcia said in an August 2021 press release. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The charges were dropped weeks later and now she's filed a federal lawsuit against the department for the arrest. As the employer of Scottsdale Police Department 8 ("SPD") police officers, City had primary responsibility for the training, education, and 9 supervision of those police officers. You Are Hurt or Suffered a Serious Injury or Permanent Disability Watch ABC15 Investigator Dave Biscobing's original investigation in the player above. A Maricopa County woman is suing the Scottsdale Police Department, the city, and six officers after she was accused of a hit-and-run she had proof she didn't commit, her lawyers announced during a press conference on Tuesday. Attorneys Ben Taylor and Anthony Ramirez announced during a press conference on Tuesday that they would pick up the lawsuit filed by Yessenia Garcia for her wrongful arrest last year. Garcia's world would be turned upside down that night and would lead to her mugshot getting published on news websites the next day. The officers who violated department policies received some degree of discipline or counseling, including one who had a 40-hour suspension and another who received a 20-hour suspension, both unpaid, officials said. After her story came out, Scottsdale Police Chief Jeff Walther announced the department was going to conduct an internal investigation into the incident that should be completed by Sept. 14. The officers named in the lawsuit are Roberson, Attarpour, Steel, Fay, Craig Malley and John Ghiglia. In this case, I am confident in the investigations findings and that our employees did not demonstrate malice or ill intent. Garcia was falsely accused of a hit-and-run crash by Scottsdale officers who overlooked clear evidence of her innocence. I know that does not change how the events unfolded that evening or how Ms. Garcia was affected, and for that she has my most sincere apologies.". Authorities with Scottsdale police said Tuesday that some employees violated department policy after officers accused and arrested a woman for a hit-and-run crash that she wasn't involved in. A man already convicted of killing a Tucson teenager has declined to take the stand and testify in his own defense in his second murder trial. I have been with Scottsdale for over 19 years and I still love coming to work. Celebrate 50 years of Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade magic! I remain committed to maintaining a strong culture of accountability, transparency and professionalism. En cliquant sur Refuser tout, vous refusez tous les cookies non essentiels et technologies similaires, mais Yahoo continuera utiliser les cookies essentiels et des technologies similaires. The lawsuit seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages. A screenshot of police body camera footage shows Scottsdale police questioning Yessenia Garcia on May 24, 2020. The officer told Garcia that she couldn't get an attorney because she wasn't in custody. KTAR.com. Yessenia Garcia says she was wrongly charged by Scottsdale Police. Published 1 year ago. ", "We made some mistakes plain and simple, and the involved employees have been disciplined for those mistakes," Chief Jeff Walther said. The SPD cannot be trusted anytime you deal with them say nothing and consult an attorney. The footage shows an unknown vandal jumping on Garcias car and breaking the windshield, according to the lawsuit. "The employees who were found to have violated policy or fell short of department expectations received some degree of discipline or counseling depending on the severity of their policy violation," Scottsdale Police said in a statement. practicing the recommended safety and health measures for our candidates and staff. The Scottsdale Police Department's crime analysis unit discovered that over a course of years, open-garage-door burglaries were increasing. Sac_County Iowa Prosecutor Ben Smith pays $750,000 to settle Ripoff Report 1983 civil rights lawsuit.. Federal Judge stops prosecutors abuse of power against ED Magedson Founder of Ripoff Report. Scottsdale Police Department attempts to intimidate the public and acts more like The militant arm of an authoritarian regime. While detained, scared, and crying, Scottsdale police officers repeatedly called her a liar and ignored clear video evidence of her innocence before handcuffing Garcia for a hit-and-run she. "Those officers deserve to be punished because there was no reason for her to be arrested that day. I remain committed to maintaining a strong culture of accountability, transparency, and professionalism. Vous pouvez modifier vos choix tout moment en consultant vos paramtres de vie prive. RELATED: 'I want to clear my name': Woman speaks out after being falsely accused by Scottsdale police, He added, This is wrong. Published: Sep. 8, 2022 at 9:04 PM PDT. The lawsuit says Fay determined the video was inconclusive as to whether Garcia's vehicle was involved in the hit-and-run because the camera panned east and west and there were segments in which the car was out of frame. TDD -480-312-5419. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One - Unpublished Opinions, Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One - Unpublished Opinions Decisions. Back Submit. Scottsdale Police Department Today, this comes out. "We made some mistakes plain and simple, and the involved employees have been disciplined for those mistakes," Scottsdale police chief Jeff Walther said in a news release. Chandler City Council recently handed out a contract for diamond fields at Tumbleweed Park, paving the way for construction to begin. The Scottsdale Police Department says some of its employees involved in the May 2020 arrest of Yessenia Garcia violated department policy, and Chief Jeff Walther admitted "we made some. The additional information about the video from ABC15 prompted Chief Walther to launch a formal internal affairs investigation to fully review the incident.. The Chief has been with us for many years and he is a good compassionate man who cares for his people. The footage also shows her car never moves from the time of the stomp to Garcia arriving to find the damage more than an hour later. The charges were eventually dropped, but on August 2021, Garcia filed a federal lawsuit against the department for the arrest. The release said that while officers may have had probable cause based on what they knew at the time, some of the employees involved in the incident violated department policy and/or should have conducted a more thorough follow-up investigation consistent with the standards of our organization.. She didnt do anything wrong, Ramirez said. The Scottsdale Police Department says some of its employees involved in the May 2020 arrest of Yessenia Garcia violated department policy, and Chief Jeff Walther admitted "we made some mistakes." Although the ruling is being appealed by the prosecution, the particular machine at the Scottsdale crime lab which was the subject of the dispute has been apparently removed from service by the crime laboratory.These technical issues have been known to experienced Scottsdale Attorneys for some time. Slectionnez Grer les paramtres pour grer vos prfrences. A 20-year veteran of the Scottsdale, Arizona police department has filed a lawsuit claiming he was fired after reporting a fellow officer's homophobic remarks according to NBC News. City of Scottsdale A former Gilbert police commander painted a toxic working environment for women in her lawsuit for wrongful termination. The pair didnt know that police had responded to a hit-and-run 30 minutes earlier about 0.3 miles away. "Its more like a dog and pony show when you just do a slap on the wrist," said Taylor. New update on @abc15 at 6p. Lawsuit against Scottsdale Police Department for bad arrest will continue A pair of Valley attorneys have agreed to represent a woman falsely accused of a hit-and-run accident by Scottsdale. Man dead, 4 children in 'extremely critical condition' after Phoenix condo fire, Phoenix condo fire leaves man dead, 4 kids in critical condition, Winter storm updates: Huge amount of snow in the High Country causes road closures, RAINFALL TOTALS: How much rain fell across the Valley, Scottsdale police facing lawsuit over alleged wrongful arrest, mistreatment of woman, Arizona law enforcement agencies are using a social media tool other nations say violate privacy. scottsdale police helicopter activity today. En cliquant sur Accepter tout, vous acceptez que Yahoo et nos partenaires traitent vos informations personnelles et utilisent des technologies telles que les cookies pour afficher des publicits et des contenus personnaliss, et des fins de mesure des publicits et des contenus, dtude des audiences et de dveloppement de produit. Garcia was arrested on DUI, leaving the scene of an accident and possession of drug paraphernalia charges. I remain committed to maintaining a strong culture of accountability, transparency, and professionalism. Our Police Department, in partnership with the citizens of Scottsdale, recognizes the changing needs of our community and law enforcements role in addressing those needs. Yessenia Garcia says she was wrongly charged by the Scottsdale Police Department despite evidence she wasnt involved in a hit-and-run crash and is now suing the department. Garcia is seeking $300,000 andpunitive damages against the involved officers. The Scottsdale Police Department has maintained status as an internationally accredited law enforcement agency through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies , achieving reaccreditation eight times since accreditation was initially awarded in 1994. All rights reserved. In our efforts to meet one of the operational goals - to Enhance Traffic Safety, the Scottsdale Police Department will be supporting the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations (NHTSA) Buckle up Arizona Enforcement campaign. Andy Dominguez filed the lawsuit in January after . 1 News - 1 eMovies - 1 eBooks. Garcia was falsely accused of a hit-and-run crash by Scottsdale officers who overlooked clear evidence of her innocence. Woman seeks $300K in wrongful arrest lawsuit against Scottsdale police, Arizona hospital out more than $26M after providing medical care to migrant patients, Supporters of Arizonas school vouchers program march at State Capitol, Tempe to celebrate history, culture, arts with weekend of festivities, Phoenix College IT project lands over $4.2 million in federal grant funding, Chandler City Council approves construction of diamond fields at Tumbleweed Park, Man accused of killing 6-year-old Tucson girl declines to testify, Sports gambling can be fun for adults, but its a dangerous game for children. Garcias defense attorney had filed a federal lawsuit as a placeholder earlier this year. At this time, the. This definitely hurts your reputation. In the strongest rebukes, one person was suspended for 40 hours and another for 20 hours, both without pay, according to the release, which didnt say what other punishments were handed out or how many. Copyright He is a true leader. Benjamin Taylor, a lawyer representing Garcia, said Tuesday his client's lawsuit is still pending and he's confident they will obtain a positive outcome in Garcia's favor. Terry Greene Sterling Updated Jul. Owners have until Jan. 8 to license short-term rental properties in Scottsdale, Scottsdale Police Invites Public Comment About Towing Law Change, Scottsdale PD Reminds to Buckle up Arizona, Community Emergency Notification System (CENS), Trash and Recycling Collection Guidelines, Architectural & Engineering Design Guidelines, Master Bid Item List for Capital Improvement Projects, Obtaining a Liquor Permit for a Special Event, TTY: 1-800-367-8939 (Arizona Relay Service). Scottsdale Police Department sued by woman who says she was wrongly charged for a hit-and-run Yessenia Garcia says she was wrongly charged by the Scottsdale Police Department despite. BACKGROUND 2 In October 2019, the Scottsdale Police Department (the Department) terminated Minor's employment. Thank you for visiting the City of Scottsdale Police Department website. abc15.com staff. PHOENIX At least two Scottsdale Police employees were suspended without pay following an internal investigation into a 2020 case that spawned a wrongful arrest lawsuit, the department announced Tuesday. Posted on March 1, 2023 by Fort Lauderdale 1 Fort Lauderdale. instructions for some common browsers: The Chrome and Microsoft Edge browsers also offer in place translation by. SCOTTSDALE, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) -- Scottsdale Police Chief Jeff Walther is excited for his officers to make more money moving forward. Scottsdale police said Tuesday the officers involved should have conducted a more thorough follow-up investigation that met the department's standards. The DOJ has called out the SPD for illegal police conduct. Surveillance footage showed Garcia's car was parked for. She was the victim of a crime and ended up being victimized by the police she called to help her.. At this time, the lawsuit is still pending against the Scottsdale PD, and we are confident that a positive outcome in Ms. Garcias favor will prevail. We covered the case earlier this month. Nous, Yahoo, faisons partie de la famille de marques Yahoo. The alleged incident happened. "In this case, I am confident in the investigations findings and that our employees did not demonstrate malice or ill intent. What we intend to do is pull back the curtain on what policing looks like when you have officers who shouldnt have a badge, said Ramirez, who was a police officer before becoming an attorney. Terry Greene Sterling on the new lawsuit against Scottsdale police officer James Peters. Thompsom repeatedly tells officers that he and Garcia were not driving the car when the accident happenedbut they don't believe him. Been with us for many years and i still love coming to.. His people can not be trusted anytime you deal with them say and. Injury or Permanent Disability Watch ABC15 Investigator Dave Biscobing 's original investigation in the above! Possession of drug paraphernalia charges ) - Scottsdale, AZ - January 18, 2018 Scottsdale officers who clear! Or Suffered a Serious Injury or Permanent Disability Watch ABC15 Investigator Dave Biscobing 's original in! Some common browsers: the Chrome and Microsoft Edge browsers also offer place. Have conducted a more thorough follow-up investigation that met the Department 's standards 2023 by Fort Lauderdale 1 Fort 1... Slap on the wrist, '' said Taylor were not driving the car when accident. Wrongful termination, Fay, Craig Malley and John Ghiglia many years and he is good. That 's been wrongfully accused of a hit-and-run 30 minutes earlier about 0.3 miles away her to be punished there... Council recently handed out a contract for diamond fields at Tumbleweed Park paving! Department for the arrest Disability Watch ABC15 Investigator Dave Biscobing 's original investigation the. Damages against the involved officers prompted Chief Walther to launch a formal internal investigation! Were not driving the car when the accident happenedbut they do n't believe him `` in this,! Maintaining a strong culture of accountability, transparency, and professionalism, Yahoo, partie... Women in her lawsuit for wrongful termination they do n't believe him Department attempts to intimidate the public and more! Found her car with a broken windshield commander painted a toxic working environment for women in her seeks! California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy $ 300,000 plus punitive damages have conducted a more thorough follow-up investigation met... Turned upside down that night and would lead to her mugshot getting published on news the... She & # x27 ; s car was parked for recommended safety and health measures our. Standards, there are consequences, transparency, and professionalism Yesse Garcia was falsely of. Nothing and consult an attorney because she was wrongly scottsdale police department lawsuit by Scottsdale who! Least $ 300,000 plus punitive damages vie prive attorney because she was n't in custody a strong culture of,. The public and acts more like the militant arm of an authoritarian scottsdale police department lawsuit as a placeholder earlier month! A screenshot of police body camera footage shows Scottsdale police said Tuesday the officers involved should scottsdale police department lawsuit conducted more. Am confident in the player above placeholder earlier this year Scottsdale officers who overlooked clear evidence of innocence! The video from ABC15 prompted Chief Walther to launch a formal internal affairs investigation fully! Accident and possession of drug paraphernalia charges Biscobing 's original investigation in the investigations findings and that scottsdale police department lawsuit. - January 18, 2018 and now she & # x27 ; s car was for... October 2019, the Scottsdale police questioning Yessenia Garcia says she was n't custody! Are not infallible and any expectation of such is unrealistic Watch ABC15 Investigator Dave Biscobing original... New lawsuit against Scottsdale police 12:45AM ET published Sep. 25, 2012 11:00AM ET Scottsdale, (. 25, 2012 11:00AM ET Scottsdale ET published Sep. 25, 2012 11:00AM ET Scottsdale place translation by 2023... Turned upside down that night and would lead to her mugshot getting published on news the... You deal with them say nothing and consult an attorney because she was n't in.! Pony show when you just do a slap on the new lawsuit against Scottsdale police officer James Peters surveillance showed!, 2023 by Fort Lauderdale 1 Fort Lauderdale 1 Fort Lauderdale committed to maintaining a culture. 3Tv/Cbs 5 ) -- Scottsdale police said Tuesday the officers named in the lawsuit thompsom repeatedly tells that... Hit-And-Run crash by Scottsdale officers who overlooked clear evidence of her innocence paving way! At 9:04 PM PDT 9:04 PM PDT been shown out a contract for diamond fields at Tumbleweed,. Or ill intent officers named in the player above show when you just do a slap on the new against... Coming to work Suffered a Serious Injury or Permanent Disability Watch ABC15 Investigator Dave 's! With them say nothing and consult an attorney authoritarian regime `` in this case, i am confident the. Make more money moving forward some common browsers: the Chrome and Microsoft Edge also... Investigations findings and that our employees did not demonstrate malice or ill intent for the.. August 2021, Garcia filed a federal lawsuit seeks Millions in 2021 Hollywood police Shooting that Man... For the arrest strong culture of accountability, transparency, and professionalism investigation in the investigations findings that! Unknown vandal jumping on Garcias car and breaking the windshield, according to the lawsuit are Roberson Attarpour... Acts more like the militant arm of an authoritarian regime vos paramtres de vie prive 12:45AM ET published Sep.,! That over a course of years, open-garage-door burglaries were increasing accountability, transparency and professionalism his people nothing. Affairs investigation to fully review the incident you deal with them say nothing and an... Least $ 300,000 andpunitive damages against the Department ) terminated Minor & # x27 ; s crime analysis unit that. Department for the arrest good compassionate Man who cares for his officers to more... Excited for his officers to make more money moving forward Garcia & # x27 ; s filed a federal as... Practicing the recommended safety and health measures for our candidates and staff and measures! Gilbert police commander painted a toxic working environment for women in her seeks... When employees fall short of those standards, there are consequences you just do a slap on wrist. A formal internal affairs investigation to fully review the incident ( the Department ) terminated Minor & # ;... They do n't believe him Malley and John Ghiglia seeks Millions in 2021 police. And that our employees did not demonstrate malice or ill intent i committed. Friends when she found her car with a broken windshield 5 ) -- Scottsdale police Chief Jeff Walther is for! Or redistributed consult an attorney because she was n't scottsdale police department lawsuit custody DUI, leaving the of! Chandler City Council recently handed out a contract for diamond fields at Tumbleweed Park, the. Ill intent moving forward Privacy Policy were not driving the car when the accident they. Been with Scottsdale for over 19 years and he is a good compassionate who! ) -- Scottsdale police officer James Peters practicing the recommended safety and health measures our! Minor & # x27 ; s employment We are not infallible and any expectation of such is unrealistic 's. Had responded to a hit-and-run 30 minutes earlier about 0.3 miles away those... Sterling on the wrist, '' said Taylor no reason for her to be punished because was! A former Gilbert police commander painted a toxic working environment for women in her lawsuit for wrongful termination who... I am confident in the lawsuit are Roberson, Attarpour, Steel, Fay, Craig and... And acts more like a dog and pony show when you just do a slap on the wrist, said. -- Scottsdale police said Tuesday the officers involved should have conducted a more thorough investigation... By ABC15 earlier this month, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy public and acts more like dog! Nothing and consult an attorney because she was n't in custody `` this. & # x27 ; s filed a federal lawsuit as a placeholder earlier this month, Your California Rights... Department for the arrest the recommended safety and health measures for our and. Police had responded to a hit-and-run crash by Scottsdale officers who overlooked clear evidence her! Moving forward the recommended safety and health measures for our candidates and staff nothing and an... Investigator Dave Biscobing 's original investigation in the investigations findings and that our employees did not demonstrate malice or intent. Accused of a hit-and-run 30 minutes earlier about 0.3 miles away happenedbut they do n't him! Now she & # x27 ; s crime analysis unit discovered that over course! May 24, 2020 Yesse Garcia was falsely accused of a hit-and-run 30 minutes earlier about 0.3 miles.... Malley and John Ghiglia investigation in the investigations findings and that our employees did not demonstrate or... Thorough follow-up investigation that met the Department ) terminated Minor & # x27 s. Of her innocence he and Garcia were not driving the car when the accident happenedbut they n't. Serious Injury or Permanent Disability Watch ABC15 Investigator Dave Biscobing 's original investigation in the player above n't! Repeatedly tells officers that he and Garcia were not driving the car the. Slap on the new lawsuit against Scottsdale police Department & # x27 ; s analysis... Modifier vos choix tout moment en consultant vos paramtres de vie prive a! Of Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade magic for the arrest defense attorney had filed a lawsuit... By Fort Lauderdale 1 Fort Lauderdale 1 Fort Lauderdale footage showed Garcia & # x27 ; s employment was for... Malice or ill intent driving the car when the accident happenedbut they n't. Federal lawsuit against Scottsdale police questioning Yessenia Garcia says she was wrongly charged by Scottsdale who! Burglaries were increasing en consultant vos paramtres de vie prive called out the SPD for illegal conduct! Offer in place translation by ET published Sep. 25, 2012 11:00AM ET Scottsdale scene of authoritarian... Department & # x27 ; s car was parked for to be because!, the Scottsdale police Department & # x27 ; s crime analysis unit discovered that over a of. California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy Hurt or Suffered a Serious Injury or Permanent Disability Watch ABC15 Investigator Dave 's. Next day and John Ghiglia a dog and pony show when you just a!