We need law enforcement to serve and protect. Bottoms vehicle stopped on left shoulder after the tires deflated. He is a white male registered to vote in Cabarrus County, North Carolina. The allegations were first reported by the Charlotte Observer. SALISBURY Following a federal lawsuit filed by a Georgia woman who claims Salisbury and Rowan County officers used excessive force against her in a 2019 traffic stop, the Salisbury-Rowan NAACP is calling for accountability and transparency from local law enforcement agencies. This was this was a very traumatic thing for her to go through, Mance said. shows Benfield, who approached the car initially with a weapon raised, pulling Bottom out of the vehicle by the arm. The company has 1 contact on record. 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. Her lawyers claim the officers reckless actions aggravated an old injury and caused Bottoms shoulder to pop as the officers handcuffed her. Efforts to reach the officers and Rowan County Sheriff Kevin Auten were unsuccessful. Librarian Sues Over How She Was Treated During Traffic Stop 847,182 views Apr 29, 2021 Body cam video of a 68-year-old Georgia librarian's encounter with police who handcuffed her on the side of. "Why are you doing this. What have I done wrong? Bottom cried out, growing increasingly incredulous. 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 . Rowan County Master Deputy Mark Benfield tried to stop Bottom around Julian Road for traveling 80 mph in a 70 mph zone, according to an incident report. The LawsuitBottoms lawsuit claims officers used excessive force when they approached her at gunpoint and when they dragged her out of her SUV. Child Endangerment/abuse-non Serious Inj; Domestic Abuse Assault Impeding Flow Of Air/Blood; Domestic Abuse Assault-Injury Or Mental Illness-1st. She later asked to be taken to the hospital and told a ranking police captain who arrived on scene that officers had broken her arm. Pretty soon, four male officers were involved in the chase. The then-66-year-old librarian from Fulton County, Georgia, was listening to music and didn't initially see the flashing blue lights coming from the police vehicle behind her, Holmes said. CNN has reached out to Rowan County Sheriff's Department for comment but has not yet heard back. No one cares about lights and sirens. I respect and appreciate police officers who uphold the oath to protect and to serve and carry out their duties with a sense of honor, courage and compassion, Dancy said. OFFICER DEVIN BARKALOW OFFICER ADAM BOUK CITY OF SALISBURY SHERIFF KEVIN AUTEN PENNSYLVANIA NATIONAL MUTUAL CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY Attorney/Law Firm Details Plaintiff Attorney CURTIS SCOTT HOLMES Attorney at BROCK PAYNE & MEECE, PA 3130 Hope Valley Rd. In this conversation. Incident reports show the chase occurred on May 30, 2019 when Rowan County Master Deputy Mark Benfield tried to stop Bottom around Julian Road for traveling 80 mph in a 70 mph zone. Despite that, authorities felt justified in threatening deadly force and physically assaulting the woman because she didnt pull over in a timely manner. Incident reports show the chase occurred on May 30, 2019 when Rowan County Master Deputy Mark Benfield tried to stop Bottom around Julian Road for traveling 80 mph in a 70 mph zone. Jupiter and Venus appear to 'kiss' in the sky, Belvidere Jeep assembly plant shut down indefinitely, Chicago Weather: Cloudy and much cooler Thursday, Artemis Moshtaghian, Melissa Alonso and Amanda Jackson. The fourth officer named in the lawsuit is Rowan County Sheriff Kevin Auten. It caused her a very significant injury that required surgery, that required her to spend time in the hospital. Like, theres got to be a better way to handle this. The Rowan County Sheriffs Office report does not address actions by Salisbury Police officer Barkalow. In the lawsuit, Bottom says law enforcement officers used excessive force, drew their guns during the stop, pulled her out of the car by her hair and tore her rotator cuff. Relatives & Associates. "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. After the search, officers told Bottom to stand, but she said she couldn't due to the pain in her shoulder, according to the suit. Natalie Anderson covers the city of Salisbury, politics and more for the Salisbury Post. What have I done wrong? Chauvins conviction on Tuesday has renewed the push from Democrats for the Senate to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, a measure that could reshape law enforcement training in the United States. Like the officers who leave their home not knowing if they will safely return, many of us feel the exact same way every single day. Acting quickly, they reached forcombat arm tourniquets. 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. A sheriffs office report from 2019 says the incident occurred at 8:16 p.m. on May 30 near mile marker 74 on Interstate 85. An incident report states Benfield asked Bottom where her drivers license was located and that she told him it was in her purse on the passenger sides floorboard. Many more people die in car accidents than because of guns and whatnot. But here, that is kind of the main way that people interact with police, Mance added. Represented By. A spokesman for the city of Salisbury also declined to comment about the incident. In situations like this, theyre so serious. 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. Devin Barkalow M. Police Officer City of Salisbury. Bottoms lawsuit was filed April 21 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. Bouk told her a cruiser pulled right beside her vehicle at one point during the pursuit and said she endangered a whole lot of people. Authorities indicated they also had their lights and sirens flashing as well. Officers used stop sticks and pulled Bottom over at gunpoint. Bottom had surgery to repair the tear but the injury prevents her from raising her left arm above her head. Within seconds of arriving at her driver's side door, officers grabbed the by her arm and hair and pulled her from her vehicle to the ground. The lawsuit alleges the officers were not disciplined for their actions. contact info. source code | run your own mirror bot? The following alternative links are available: Note: this is a bot providing a directory service. Derek Chauvin trial juror details courtroom experience, deliberations: 'You're watching somebody die on a daily basis'. A subreddit dedicated to people freaking out, melting down, losing their cool, or being weird in public. Other sheriffs deputies and police officers joined the chase. This should anger all of us.. Black said he isnt hopeful that the demand will be fulfilled. The following record for Kyle Devin Barkalow was recently collected from the state department of corrections website of Florida, of those serving a term of correctional supervision. She says she had her music turned up loudly and was listening to tunes as she made the journey. Contribute to Atlanta Black Star today and help us share our narratives. Maam, there was about four police cars behind you at one point in time, Benfield told Bottom as she claimed she didnt realize the officers had been chasing her for miles. Sifford was placed in the Rowan County Detention Center under an additional $500,000 bond. 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.. I know she did not apparently have medical issues but they should have checked her over first before slamming her to the ground. Derek Barkalow Found. But they approached her vehicle with guns drawn and later violated her rights by using excessive force, the lawsuit said. Black said he has not yet received any communication back about the letter, but mentioned that it was only sent out on Saturday. 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. HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - Many people describe Scott Barkalow as someone who is willing to give anything to anyone, well now this US retired vet is on the receiving end of all the gifts. 25.2k members in the USNEWS community. SALISBURY Local residents expressed anger and called for transparency from city leaders and local law enforcement officers Tuesday regarding a 2019 traffic incident thats the center of a federal lawsuit alleging excessive force. Jacob Linn (1825-1878) was a gunsmith, business owner, Bexar County commissioner, landowner, and rancher. 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. 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. Bouk and Benfield explained to Bottom that she refused to stop when they attempted to pull her over for speeding. 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 camera that Bottom was a "f**king retard" and a "douche bag," according to the body camera footage. The other officers did not respond to requests for comment. Devin Barkalow M in 2015 was employed in City Of Salisbury and had a reported pay of $12,446 according to public records. An internal investigation is pending. They are flat. Another officer involved in the traffic stop, only identified as Officer Smith, pulled ahead of Bottom and deployed spike strips that immediately immobilized her vehicle, the lawsuit says. 2023001600. "I was sitting at a red light at the square in here in Salisbury when the call came in that we had a gunshot victim," said Master Police Officer Joe Wilson. It was very frightening. She told officers she had a torn ligament in her shoulder from a previous car accident and begged them to uncuff her arms from behind her back. He was born in Bavaria and . The video shows Salisbury Deputy Mark Benfield approaching Ms Bottom's car with his gun drawn before grabbing her hair and dragging her to the ground. Bottom said she was listening to music loudly in her car and did not realize she was being pulled over, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit names Benfield and Barkalow as the two officers who did this. Court: Fourth Circuit North Carolina US District . As she was handcuffed on the side of the road, the officers searched her vehicle and purse without her consent, a warrant, or probable cause which violated Bottom's Fourth Amendment rights, the lawsuit says. The suit says Bottoms injuries required surgery that did not fully repair the shoulder and that she feared the police and did not want to pull over on the side of the interstate. Some of those images can be seen immediately below: Jackie Miller said Bottom posed no threat to police officers during the incident. Devin Barkalow is 36 years old, and lives in WI. The suit also maintains that officers had no probable cause and never asked for Bottoms consent to search her SUV or her purse, which was in the vehicle. The 68-year-old Georgia woman, Stephanie Bottom, filed the lawsuit Wednesday in federal court for North Carolinas Middle District about her treatment during the stop involving Salisbury Police and the Rowan County Sheriffs Office. It also claims that the officers congratulated one other for their work and an officer identified in the lawsuit as Barkalow is heard bragging about grabbing a "handful of dreads," saying "at that point she earned it.". 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. She had to miss a significant amount of work. The second cop just comes rushing in and let's adrenaline take over. CNN has reached out to Rowan County Sheriff's Department for comment but has not yet heard back. Bottom, who is Black, is suing three officers, the sheriff of Rowan County, N.C., and the city of Salisbury, accusing them of using excessive force and violating her Fourth Amendment rights during a traffic stop that seriously injured her. The lawsuit obtained by The Washington Post, which was filed in the Middle District of North Carolina, accuses Salisbury officers Devin Barkalow and Adam Bouk and Rowan County Sheriffs deputy Mark Benfield of hurting the librarian so badly that she was forced to miss eight months of work. And they did their jobs while bullets were flying around them and a gunman was on the loose. After Benfields initial attempt to pull Bottom over, a roughly 14-mile chase ensued and ended when law enforcement officers eventually flattening Bottoms tires in Davidson County, according to the incident report. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages for the alleged use of excessive force and unlawful search of the plaintiff's purse and vehicle. 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 camera that Bottom was a "f**king retard" and a "douche bag," according to the body camera footage. While her attorneys have not returned requests for comment from the Post, the Associated Press quoted Ian Mance, an attorney for Emancipate NC, as saying, Our complaint alleges these officers had no reason to use any force, much less the level of force they employed.. He left the police force for a role in federal law enforcement over a year ago. ): Spencer D. Matthews, 39, Daytona Beach, habitual driving . Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. AccuWeather: AM showers before a mild afternoon, Extra Time: Breaking down massive NYC, NYPD settlement, Teammate facing charges in crash that killed local UGA player, ABC7 New York 24/7 Eyewitness News Stream, Artemis Moshtaghian, Melissa Alonso and Amanda Jackson. let's integrate. Bouk told other officers thats good police work, baby even as Bottom continued to complain about her shoulder. Everyone take a close look at the video. SALISBURY A 2019 traffic stop thats the subject of a federal lawsuit started with a chase that lasted 14 miles and involved law enforcement officers flattening a womans tires in Davidson County, according to an incident report from the Rowan County Sheriffs Office. Bailey reminded the public that the Salisbury Police Departments use of force policies are available on the citys website. Officers Barkalow and Bouk picked up by her arms, inflicting additional pain to her shoulder, forced her to stand and put her in the back of a patrol car, according to the lawsuit. Officers had their sirens on for at least 10 minutes, according to body camera footage that is cited in the lawsuit and was reviewed by CNN. Stephanie Bottom was terror-stricken in the drivers seat of her SUV, trying not to move as three officers in Salisbury, N.C., held her at gunpoint during a traffic stop for speeding in May 2019. The lawsuit also alleges violations of constitutional amendments about unlawful searches and seizures, saying evidence found in the car would not support charges for speeding. "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. Alexander agreed with discussing use of force policies, but reminded the public that the incident happened two years ago and city council members are unsure at this time if something had been done to address the issue already. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages for the alleged use of excessive force and unlawful search of the plaintiff's purse and vehicle. I like to get all sides of the story, so Im asking to see what led up to that, Black said. Devin Willock, who was an offensive lineman for the Bulldogs, . Bottom claims the officers refused to get her medical treatment even as she told them she was in pain, according to the lawsuit. We released a statement because theres a lot of concern on how these officers and the Sheriffs department handled the situation, when they couldve handed it much more professionally than that, said Black, who was in Elizabeth City on Saturday taking part in state NAACP activity regarding the police shooting of Andrew Brown Jr. She said she didnt realize the contingent of officers were after her. One of the police officers who no longer works for the Salisbury Police Department declined to comment when contacted by the Charlotte Observer. Contact reporter Natalie Anderson at 704-797-4246. Linda McElroy, a spokeswoman for the city of Salisbury, wrote in an email to the Observer that the Salisbury Police always strives for positive interactions with our residents and visitors, including in cases where we may suspect criminal activity.. 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. When police tried to stop his car on Bringle Ferry Road, he drove away through residential property. 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 . The Judge overseeing this case is WAYNE CULVER. According to the Observer, Barkalow said he no longer works for the Salisbury Police Department. Sheriff Kevin Auten is named only in his official capacity as the sheriff and is not alleged to have been involved in the incident. The presiding judge in the case is William L. Osteen, Jr. Bottom is represented in court by Scott Holmes of the North Carolina Central University Civil Litigation Clinic and Mance. The fourth officer named in the lawsuit is Rowan County Sheriff Kevin Auten. We found 5 entries for Derek Barkalow in the United States. Bottom claims the officers refused to get her medical treatment even as she told them she was in pain, according to the lawsuit. The man had been shot twice. Her attorneys said she had to foot the bill for medical treatments, repairs to her SUV and was left to grapple with the emotional fallout of her encounter. Jagger Naves of the Rowan County Sheriffs Office cleared use of force used by deputies during the traffic stop. Former Salisbury Police officer Devin Barkalow is accused of pulling Bottom out of the vehicle by her hair. Devin Barkalow M. Police Officer City Of Salisbury. The BodycamThe incident began the evening of May 30, 2019 when a deputy allegedly spotted Bottom driving 80 mph on the interstate, which has a 70 mph speed limit. Bottom is seeking a jury trial, compensatory and punitive damages as well as court costs and attorneys fees. 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