When police vehicles pulled behind her, Bottom continued driving for another 10 miles, oblivious, she says, to the fact that they were trying to stop her for speeding. One of the police officers who no longer works for the Salisbury Police Department declined to comment when contacted by the Charlotte Observer. The arresting officers involved were identified as Salisbury police officers Adam Bouk and Devin Barkalow, Rowan County sheriff's deputy Mark Benfield, and a Highway Patrol trooper only . Bodycam footage showed he also said it was an exciting chase and commented that he was at the edge of his seat.. A Black woman was allegedly grabbed by the hair and pulled out of her SUV by North Carolina police during a traffic stop in 2019 after she was driving 10 miles per hour over the speed limit and failed to stop for law enforcement, according to a civil lawsuit filed last week. "With each pump of his heart you could just see it coming out," Wilson added. Barkalow, who was hired by the department in 2015, left the agency to take a position with federal law enforcement in February 2020, according to Linda McElroy, a spokeswoman for the city of. Shouldnt have been stupid. When Bottoms didn't immediately pull over, one of the officers making the traffic stop identified in the lawsuit as Salisbury Police Officer Devin Barkalow made statements recorded by his body . In a statement to the media, the Salisbury Police Department said it was unable to comment on pending litigation but that it strives "for positive interactions with our residents and visitors, including in cases where (police) may suspect criminal activity.". COUNTY JAIL DOCKET (The following people were booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail on felony charges yet to be proven in court. She says she had her music turned up loudly and was listening to tunes as she made the journey. She really didnt see three cop cars with lights and sirens? In the footage, Bottom is seen screaming as Benfield, Barkalow, and Salisbury Police Officer Adam Bouk force her to lay face down on the ground, according to the lawsuit. CNN has reached out to Rowan County Sheriff's Department for comment but has not yet heard back. Devin Willock, who was an offensive lineman for the Bulldogs, . 'White privilege and entitlement:' NC city official fired after refusing to address woman by doctoral title. Stephanie Bottom was driving on May 30, 2019, along Interstate 85 from Georgia to North Carolina to attend her great aunt's funeral, her attorney Scott Holmes told CNN on Tuesday. Linda McElroy, the city of Salisburys communications director, declined to comment on the pending litigation and said, The Salisbury Police always strives for positive interactions with our residents and visitors, including in cases where we may suspect criminal activity. The Rowan County Sheriffs Office has not responded to a request for information from the Salisbury Post. If you have trouble with any of the links above, please contact the user who provided them. In addition to calling for the release of video footage, the Salisbury-Rowan NAACP is demanding a transparent investigation into the incident. The man facing murder charges, 29-year-old John Calvin Sifford III, crashed his car and ran away in an attempt to flee the officers, according to Salisbury police. If youre going to argue that they shouldnt have dont that, leave her gender, race, and age out of it for fucks sake. The other officers named in the suit are Adam Bouk, a sergeant for the Salisbury Police Department, and Mark Benfield, who is listed in the Rowan County Sheriffs Office directory as a master deputy. They ignored her cries for medical attention and failed to render immediate treatment for her injuries. Shes asking for damages and an injunction against the policies and practices in which the officers engaged while taking her into custody. Bottom pleaded guilty to failing to heed blue lights. Susan Lee said the lack of accountability is very concerning and violates community trust, adding that its chilling to think the same officers have been entrusted with local residents safety. Carter denied racing to the officer, who observed no signs that the 310-pound defensive lineman had been drinking, according to . An officer pulled alongside Bottom's SUV at one point during the chase and looked inside her vehicle. "Once it became clear they wanted her to pull over she was afraid and was looking for a safe place to pull over," Holmes told CNN in an email. When Bottom didn't immediately pull over, one of the officers making the traffic stop identified in the lawsuit as Salisbury Police Officer Devin Barkalow made statements recorded by his body. Sheriff Kevin Auten is named only in his official capacity as the sheriff and is not alleged to have been involved in the incident. In a statement to the media, the Salisbury Police Department said it was unable to comment on pending litigation but that it strives "for positive interactions with our residents and visitors, including in cases where (police) may suspect criminal activity.". It was late August, Officer Wilson and Detective Devin Barkalow rushed to the 700 block of Second Street where they saw a man leaning up against the front door of a duplex. The LawsuitBottoms lawsuit claims officers used excessive force when they approached her at gunpoint and when they dragged her out of her SUV. Devin Barkalow M Overview. source code | run your own mirror bot? Lawsuit to be filed against police after Calif. man dies while being restrained by police. The report states Naves reviewed body camera footage. The Salisbury-Rowan NAACP listed five demands to the Salisbury Police Department and Rowan Sheriffs Office, in a letter that was published on its Facebook page. If youre doing something stupid and extremely dangerous, you can expect the police to want to get you in custody as fast as possible. 'White privilege and entitlement:' NC city official fired after refusing to address woman by doctoral title. Police say he got out of the car, ran, and was caught. Relatives & Associates. Two Salisbury Police officers honored for life-saving actions, N.C. The incident report describes one point during the chase where Master Deputy M. Smith sped up to the side of Bottoms vehicle and saw her put her hand up in a manner that suggested she didnt care or was not sure what was going on.. Contact reporter Natalie Anderson at 704-797-4246. Bouk and Benfield explained to Bottom that she refused to stop when they attempted to pull her over for speeding. "That was very disturbing . Adam Bouk of the Salisbury Police Department placed a handcuff on Bottoms left hand and the right hand was cuffed with the assistance of two other officers, a sheriffs office narrative states. 68-year-old woman claims she was thrown to the ground by police for speeding 13,595 views Apr 23, 2021 A 68-year-old librarian is suing the City of Salisbury and the Rowan County Sheriff's. Instead, the officers decided to issue a criminal summons for her to appear in court at a later date. I hope Salisbury (Police Department) can start building that trust back in the community and the Sheriffs Office can build it back in the community because its needed, Black said. The lawsuit comes as questions surrounding excessive and deadly force by police against Black people remain front and center this week after Derek Chauvin was convicted of murdering George Floyd in Minneapolis and 16-year-old MaKhia Bryant was fatally shot during an altercation in Columbus, Ohio. Ms. Bottom wasnt even arrested.. They dont care because its not their emergency. As Bottom was unbuckling her seatbelt, Barkalow rushed in from the passengers side of the SUV and snatched the elderly woman out of the drivers seat by her hair, then slammed her to the pavement. Bottom is being represented by Scott Holmes, professor of the Civil Litigation Clinic, a program for third-year law-school students at the North Carolina Central University. What have I done wrong? Bottom cried out, growing increasingly incredulous. Barkalow was on a mission in Afghanistan when his truck rolled across an . The Black Army officer accused police officers in Windsor, Va., of holding him at gunpoint and pepper-spraying and assaulting him during a traffic stop in December. During the interaction, Cuthbertson swung his helmet, striking Officer B. W. Jones in the face. Within seconds of arriving at her driver's side door, the officers grabbed Bottom by her arm and hair and pulled her from her vehicle to the ground, according to body camera footage. Former Salisbury Police Department officer Devin Barkalow, one of the officers identified in the lawsuit, declined to comment on the complaint, directing a reporter to the department. Smith pulled ahead of Bottom at one point and laid down a spike strip to flatten her SUVs tires. [After this point is the edit]: Also its easy to say in pretty much every situation that theres got to be a better way to handle this because its true; but we have time to observe and think without the consequences of being there in person. Ian Mance is the attorney handling the case for the public policy program, which is dedicated to criminal justice reform and eradicating structural racism. Devin Barkalow M Overview. She really looked confused and scared if anything. Regina Dancy said she debated speaking about the issue for fear shed be perceived as anti-police, which she emphasized she is not, or an angry Black woman speaking out against racial injustice. A Salisbury police officer involved in the stop bragged about grabbing a handful of dreads, and said at that point she earned it,' the lawsuit said, citing footage from the officers body camera. An internal investigation is pending. And thank God they had to wear body cams or we still wouldnt know what happened., Rev. The Rowan County Sheriffs Office report does not address actions by Salisbury Police officer Barkalow. Officers issued Bottom a summons, charging her with "speeding failure to heed blue lights, and resisting, delaying, and obstructing an officer for allegedly refusing to get out of her vehicle and pulling away from the officer," according to the lawsuit. Bottom is seeking a jury trial, compensatory and punitive damages as well as court costs and attorneys fees. So they make up the majority of citizens police interactions in a given year. BARKALOW LANDSCAPING LLC is a Wisconsin Domestic Limited-Liability Company filed on March 4, 2021. The other officers swooped in and handcuffed Bottom, who yelled and writhed in pain as they yanked her arms her back to shackle her. How many more Black and brown people are going to be hurt and killed by the hands of officers, Miller said. He is expected to have his first court appearance Monday. According to The Associated Press, it was about an hour before EMS arrived. Gemale Black, president of the Salisbury-Rowan NAACP, said the letter was sent to both law enforcement agencies as well as Salisbury city council members and the Rowan County Board of Commissioners. Law enforcement officers and sheriffs deputies are held to a certain standard and they should live up to that standard.. Former Salisbury Police officer Devin Barkalow is accused of pulling Bottom out of the vehicle by her hair. The two officers involved in the chase and shooting, Sgt. So this was very disruptive to her life in many ways.. Sunshine returns to SoCal on Thursday but cold temps stick around, World of Barbie to open next month at Santa Monica Place, Jupiter and Venus appear to 'kiss' in the sky, Track SoCal rain with LIVE Megadoppler 7000 HD, Artemis Moshtaghian, Melissa Alonso and Amanda Jackson. Represented By. Published 12:10 am Wednesday, May 5, 2021, By Natalie Anderson When Bottom didn't immediately pull over, one of the officers making the traffic stop identified in the lawsuit as Salisbury Police Officer Devin Barkalow made statements recorded by his body. Barkalow and another Salisbury officer, Bottom claims they . Bottoms lawsuit was filed last week in the U.S. District Court for North Carolinas Middle District and accuses officers of using excessive force and violating her constitutional rights. In a June 2019 review of the incident, Sgt. Stop Sticks, a tire deflation device, were deployed and punctured Bottoms tires, forcing her to pull over on the shoulder of the road near the point where I-85 splits into I-85 Business near the Davidson County Airport. In this conversation. Bottom said all of the arresting officers were white. The suit states police officers acted unreasonably, maliciously, and without justification, because (Bottom) did not pose a threat and was lawfully complying with the demands of the defendants to exit the vehicle with her hands up. Video shows Bottom sitting in her vehicle, facing Benfield and responding to him when she is pulled onto the ground. Everyone take a close look at the video. Constitutional carry bill aims to eliminate handgun permits, Medic: Teen dead, driver seriously injured in crash on I-485 in west Charlotte, PLAN AHEAD: Latest Weather Forecast Video. On Tuesday Wilson and Barkalow were honored by the City Council for their lifesaving effortsa distinction that Wilson says, wasn't really necessary. She praised Salisbury Police for having officers who often go above and beyond their duty to protect and serve as well as for the departments participation in racial equity training and tracking use of force incidents. Bouk told other officers thats good police work, baby even as Bottom continued to complain about her shoulder. Linda McElroy, a spokeswoman for the City of Salisbury, said that Barkalow was hired by the department in 2015 and left the agency in Feb. 2020 to take a job with . "Once it became clear they wanted her to pull over she was afraid and was looking for a safe place to pull over," Holmes told CNN in an email. He was uninjured in the incident. The lawsuit names Benfield and Barkalow as the two officers who did this. He identified her on the radio as an older Black female. 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