Current:Home > MarketsOregon jury awards man more than $3 million after officer accused him of trying to steal a car -RiskWatch
Oregon jury awards man more than $3 million after officer accused him of trying to steal a car
View
Date:2025-04-15 09:46:54
SALEM, Oregon (AP) — A jury in Oregon has awarded a man more than $3.1 million after a police officer accused him of trying to steal a car he was fixing and allegedly used excessive force when arresting him.
That jury award included more than $2 million in punitive damages to Christopher Garza for false arrest, battery and the use of excessive force in the 2021 incident at a tire store in Salem.
Garza alleged in the lawsuit that on Sept. 17, 2021, Salem Officer David Baker grabbed him, shoved him onto the roof of his police car and handcuffed him with no justification for his arrest.
“Well, I feel vindicated,” Garza told Portland television station KGW-TV. “I feel good that justice has prevailed.
Trevor Smith, a spokesperson for Salem, said in an email Monday to The Associated Press that the city was evaluating the jury’s decision and had no comment.
Garza, a barber, lives next to the tire shop. He was with two other men and working on a car when Baker arrived and accused him of trying to steal the vehicle, according to the lawsuit. Garza said he suffered injuries to his neck, chest, wrists and left hand. He said he also underwent shoulder surgery for injuries suffered during the arrest, and that he thinks they might not fully heal.
“I went through one surgery, and I need another surgery,” Garza said. “My arm probably won’t work the same ever again.”
veryGood! (22725)
Related
- From family road trips to travel woes: Americans are navigating skyrocketing holiday costs
- Shop 39 Kyle Richards-Approved Must-Haves Up to 50% Off During the Amazon Big Spring Sale
- How Prince William Supported Kate Middleton Amid Cancer Diagnosis
- Khloe Kardashian Frees the Nipple in Completely Sheer LBD
- Louvre will undergo expansion and restoration project, Macron says
- Texas school bus with more 40 students crashes, killing 2 people, authorities say
- Kate Middleton Breaks Silence on Health Journey to Share Cancer Diagnosis
- No. 13 seed Yale stuns SEC tournament champion Auburn in another March Madness upset
- Chuck Scarborough signs off: Hoda Kotb, Al Roker tribute legendary New York anchor
- 85 years after a racist mob drove Opal Lee’s family away, she’s getting a new home on the same spot
Ranking
- FACT FOCUS: Inspector general’s Jan. 6 report misrepresented as proof of FBI setup
- California’s Climate Leaders Vow to Hold Fossil Fuel Companies to Account
- Jackpots: A look at the top 10 Mega Millions, Powerball winners of all time
- Trump says he has nearly $500 million in cash but doesn’t want to use it to pay New York judgment
- Pregnant Kylie Kelce Shares Hilarious Question Her Daughter Asked Jason Kelce Amid Rising Fame
- Annie Lennox again calls for cease-fire in Israel-Hamas war, calls Gaza crisis 'heartbreaking'
- Republican Mike Boudreaux advances to special election to complete term of ousted Speaker McCarthy
- New York State Legislature Votes to Ban CO2 Fracking, Closing a Decade-Old Loophole in State Law
Recommendation
Federal appeals court upholds $14.25 million fine against Exxon for pollution in Texas
Is there a winner of the $977M Mega Millions jackpot? Numbers have been drawn and it’s time to wait
Polyamory is attracting more and more practitioners. Why? | The Excerpt
Riley Strain Dead at 22: Police Detail What Led to Discovery of Missing Student
Trump suggestion that Egypt, Jordan absorb Palestinians from Gaza draws rejections, confusion
MLB launches investigation into Shohei Ohtani interpreter Ippei Mizuhara following gambling reports
An LA reporter read her own obituary. She's just one victim of a broader death hoax scam
Regina King Offers Sweet Gesture to Jimmy Kimmel During Conversation After Her Son's Death