The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s department has announced that they support the actions of two of their deputies who were caught on tape punching a pursuit suspect.
According to reports, the deputies were initially responding to a burglary call placed on Thursday October 15 around 11 a.m. in Rancho Cucamonga. The suspect, 25-year-old Donovan Gardner, fled from the scene, causing the deputies to chase after him. The high-speed pursuit ended in a car crash the sent a deputy’s patrol vehicle crashing into a tree.
When Gardner stopped his car, he tried to escape on foot. The deputies pursing him caught him, however. T.V. news broadcasters caught the authorities punching Gardner multiple times. Eyewitnesses report that the suspect tried to resist arrest. Authorities claim that the suspect’s threat to public safety caused them to use extra force to control him.
This is not the first time the San Bernardino County law enforcement have been caught on tape using excessive force against their suspect. On April 9, San Bernardino County deputies were caught continuously kicking and punching pursuit suspect Francis Jared Pusok.
Pusok’s attorneys claim that their client did not pose a physical threat to law enforcement and that the force was unnecessary. The county settled the matter for $650,000. However, Pusok was later charged with 11 felonies and 3 counts of theft.
At Chung & Ignacio, we believe that you are entitled to due process in the court of law before a conviction. Officers should not be allowed to use excessive force or abuse their authoritative position. If you suffered unjust treatment by law enforcement, you may be eligible for financial restitution and compensation.
Contact our Rancho Cucamonga criminal defense attorneys for a free consultation to see if you have a case.