Woman files civil lawsuit against two Salt Lake City police officers
Aug 31, 2024, 4:00 PM | Updated: Sep 2, 2024, 1:05 pm
A woman is filing a civil lawsuit against two Salt Lake City police officers who she said broke her leg to the point of needing amputation, using a takedown maneuver constituting excessive force, despite being unarmed and compliant. (Salt Lake City Police Department)
(Salt Lake City Police Department)
SALT LAKE CITY — A woman is filing a civil lawsuit against two Salt Lake City police officers who she said broke her leg to the point of needing amputation, using a takedown maneuver constituting excessive force, despite being unarmed and compliant.
On Sept. 2, 2023, Agnes J. Martinez, 57, was experiencing homelessness and looking for a place where she and her dog could sleep in her car “without being harassed,” according to the civil lawsuit filed by her attorneys.
Salt Lake City police officers Paul D. Mullenax and Lane S. Wolfenbarger were on “proactive patrol,” and found Martinez, the lawsuit states. The pair approached Martinez, at approximately 8:31 p.m.
Officers allegedly told Martinez to roll down her window, and Wolfenbarger said he smelled cannabis. The lawsuit states that Martinez told officers she had “a little bit of weed” in her car, and was then ordered out of her car while Wolfenbarger searched it, without a warrant, based on smell.
After the search, the lawsuit states that Wolfenbarger told Martinez she was “going in handcuffs,” and would not tell her why. The two officers reportedly put Martinez against her car with her arms behind her back. When Martinez tensed her arms, the officers told her to relax or they would “take (Martinez) to the ground next,” the lawsuit states.
According to the lawsuit, “less than two seconds later,” Wolfenbarger said to Mullenax, “Ground.”
Wolfenbarger allegedly placed his leg next to Martinez’s “in order to trip her,” then performed a “leg sweep maneuver.” The document states that Wolfbarger dropped his weight onto Martinez’s leg above the knee, while Mullenax dropped his weight on the lower part of her leg. The lawsuit states that both officers felt and heard her leg break, and “crack.”
The lawsuit cites that Martinez never attempted to flee, and now was physically incapable of fleeing. Mullenax allegedly “pulled on (Martinez’s) broken leg to force her onto her stomach,” and her face was cut from being face down on the concrete.
Martinez’s attorneys said medical personnel arrived and saw “significant swelling” of her left knee, then took her to a hospital.
Read the full story at KSLTV.com
