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. 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. Law enforcement officers and sheriffs deputies are held to a certain standard and they should live up to that standard.. 2/26/2023 3:37:00 AM. Acting quickly, they reached forcombat arm tourniquets. Arrest warrants have been issued for both . The Salisbury Police Department and Rowan County Sheriffs Office could not be reached for comment by publication time. This mission encompasses functions of courthouse security, civil process, operation of detention facility, investigations and community patrol., Blotter: Man accused of armed robbery apprehended after short chase, Blotter: Victims in shooting discharged from hospitals, Monday morning car shooting leaves two hospitalized. Other sheriffs deputies and police officers joined the chase. 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. The fourth officer named in the lawsuit is Rowan County Sheriff Kevin Auten. 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 . He is a white male registered to vote in Cabarrus County, North Carolina. Four law enforcement officers are named in the federal lawsuit filed in US District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. While state law allows people pictured in body camera videos to receive a copy, the Rowan County Sheriffs Office and Salisbury Police Department are prevented from releasing the video without a court order. 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. On Tuesday Wilson and Barkalow were honored by the City Council for their lifesaving effortsa distinction that Wilson says, wasn't really necessary. When she asked for medical assistance, she estimated that an hour elapsed before officers called for help, the lawsuit said. The two other charges were dismissed. This case was filed in Seminole County Courts, Not Classified By Court located in Seminole, Florida. Devin Barkalow M in 2015 was employed in City Of Salisbury and had a reported pay of $12,446 according to public records. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), School board questions why payroll issue took so long to resolve, Taking them back: Alumni cherish photo project, Salisbury High assembly, Medical marijuana passes in NC senate, Ford votes no, John Carr: Post switching to mail delivery next week. The Rowan County Sheriffs Office report does not address actions by Salisbury Police officer Barkalow. Yeah she ran for 10 miles. 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. A subreddit dedicated to people freaking out, melting down, losing their cool, or being weird in public. We expect complete transparency from law enforcement., Walker said the absence of reprimand only perpetuates the abuse of power that leaves us without justice.. She was also charged with speeding and resisting arrest but those were dismissed. Barkalow remembers how female cadets were hazed and harassed back then. The lawsuit, which requests a jury trial, alleges two officers grabbed Bottom by her arm and her hair, later throwing her out of the vehicle and on to the ground. Published 10:05 am Thursday, April 22, 2021. The letter states, This week, we watched as a 2019 traffic stop video surfaced of officers from Rowan Countys Sheriffs Office and Salisbury Police Department using excessive force to arrest Stephanie Bottom, a 68-year-old Black librarian from Atlanta.. I Feel So Violated: Wisconsin Car Salesman Urinates on Black Womans Drivers License She Left Behind After Test Drive, This You?: Twitter Calls Out Marjorie Taylor Greene for Ironically Saying People Should Respect Others With Different Views, Joy Reid Rips Apart Scott Adams As the Dilbert Cartoonist Doubles Down on Racist Comments. 2151 KEOKUK ST #14. Like, theres got to be a better way to handle this. . The officers pulled Bottom's arms behind her back while she shrieked in pain as sirens blared in the background, according to the footage. Represented By. Thats not the case in a lot of states. 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. Black said the Salisbury-Rowan NAACPs legal redress committee came together to craft the wording and demands made in the letter after analyzing the available camera footage of the incident. But here, that is kind of the main way that people interact with police, Mance added. against her in a 2019 traffic stop, the Salisbury-Rowan NAACP is calling for accountability and transparency from local law enforcement agencies. Mr Benfield and another officer, Devin. On 02/15/2022 STEPHANIE IVETTE CARRASQUILLO filed a Family - Other Family lawsuit against KYLE DEVIN BARKALOW. 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. Bouk and Benfield explained to Bottom that she refused to stop when they attempted to pull her over for speeding. 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. Saturday night. 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. She says she had her music turned up loudly and was listening to tunes as she made the journey. Contact reporter Natalie Anderson at 704-797-4246. Were not asking for much, Black said. 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 two officers involved in the chase and shooting, Sgt. Bottom sobbed as she sat on the ground at the side of the high gasping in pain. Bottom is seeking a jury trial, compensatory and punitive damages as well as court costs and attorneys fees. 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. And if the two concepts seem to conflict -- well, yes, they sometimes do, but Carol Barkalow, 31, wants you to know . Court: Fourth Circuit North Carolina US District . . Benfield and a second cop, Officer Devin Barkalow, then struggle to put handcuffs on Bottom while she lies face-down on the side of the roadway, according to the footage. You turned it into this.. 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. Benfield opened the drivers side door and commanded the driver to exit the vehicle to which she refused to obey commands several times, an incident report states. JAMES R. MORGAN, JR. Womble Bond Dickinson (us) LLP contact info. contact info. According to a July 2020 report from the North Carolina Justice Analysis Review, Black motorists were stopped at a rate twice as high as white drivers in the Tar Heel State, and almost 1.5 times the rates of other races. He identified her on the radio as an older Black female. A frustrated Barkalow called Bottom a fucking retard and a douche bag while chasing her in his squad car. Email him at ben.stansell@salisburypost.com. Bottom said she was driving to Raleigh for a funeral in May 2019 when she was pulled over for speeding and failing to heed to blue lights. She had to miss a significant amount of work. 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 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. As Rowan County Sheriff's Deputy Mark Benfield and Barkalow approached her vehicle they had their guns drawn and pointed at her, according to the lawsuit. City of Salisbury Communications Director Linda McElroy said the police department completed a use of force report for Barkalow, but the document is part of his personnel record and cant be released. 2023001600. This should anger all of us.. 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. Bottom was peaceful at all times, and officers knew they were dealing with an elderly woman, said Ian Mance, a lawyer with EmancipateNC who represents Bottom. Bottom claims the officers refused to get her medical treatment even as she told them she was in pain, according to the lawsuit. devin barkalow waiver sent on 4/28/2021, answer due 6/28/2021. Read the full court filing by clicking here. Devin Barkalow M in 2019 was employed in City of Salisbury and had annual salary of $54,148 according to public records. So this was very disruptive to her life in many ways.. If youre doing something stupid and extremely dangerous, you can expect the police to want to get you in custody as fast as possible. Other sheriffs deputies and police officers joined the chase before a tire deflation device was used near Davidson County Airport. 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. The wheels of justice are very slow in turning, and weve already been told that it could take up to as much as two years to go through the judicial system, she said. 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. Black said he has not yet received any communication back about the letter, but mentioned that it was only sent out on Saturday. The lawsuit names Benfield and Barkalow as the two officers who did this. 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 . I am exhausted with seeing Black bodies abused, tortured and sometimes killed by police officers for minor traffic infractions or other incidents that should not end in death, Dancy said. 1331 . 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. shows Benfield, who approached the car initially with a weapon raised, pulling Bottom out of the vehicle by the arm. See the correctional supervision record for Kyle Devin Barkalow, who is or was recently under the supervision of the department of corrections in the state of Florida. She alleges officers assaulted her and unlawfully searched her SUV during the chaotic ordeal. Bottom, who did not immediately realize police wanted her to stop, was looking for a safe place to pull over when police used spike strips to stop her SUV. The officers made several attempts to gain the cooperation of Mr. Tori Cuthbertson to turn down his motorcycle radio/music and speak with them about the matter. Efforts to reach the officers and Rowan County Sheriff Kevin Auten were unsuccessful. Contribute to Atlanta Black Star today and help us share our narratives. When Bottom appeared in court, she pleaded guilty to the failure to heed blue lights charge. Two Salisbury Police officers honored for life-saving actions, N.C. 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. 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.". An internal investigation is pending. The force applied by the officers caused Bottom's "shoulder to 'pop,' tearing her rotator cuff and causing severe injury," according to the lawsuit. Officer Devin Barkalow then bragged about grabbing a "handful of dreads," and said "at that point she earned it," the lawsuit says, quoting the bodycam audio. 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. Black said he isnt hopeful that the demand will be fulfilled. There was no indication that local law enforcement agencies were going to take any action against these officers, Mance explained in an interview with Atlanta Black Star. During this time, Bouk is heard on the body camera footage saying, "That's good police work baby" to other officers, according to the suit. But she said women have made progress since, even in light of the scandal, in which members of an online group allegedly shared or commented on images of nude or semi-clad female Marines. Published 12:10 am Wednesday, May 5, 2021, By Natalie Anderson Eventually, Bottom received medical attention at the scene and was taken to the hospital, the lawsuit says. We Found 1 Results For Devin Barkalow. During this time, Bouk is heard on the body camera footage saying, "That's good police work baby" to other officers, according to the suit. According to the lawsuit, Bottom did not believe she was driving fast and did not think the police were trying to stop her. Mance said that was one of the reasons Emancipate North Carolina opted to take on Bottoms case. 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.". Dancy called on the officers to answer questions of why the excessive force was used and why they ignored Bottoms comment about a previous injury to her shoulder during the incident. Thats consistent with the incident report from the Rowan County Sheriffs Office, which states that Rowan County Master Deputy Mark Benfield tried to stop Bottom around Julian Road. According to the complaint, Bottom was unarmed and posed no threat. 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. One of the officers' body cameras also captured one of the Salisbury police officers bragging about "grabbing a handful of dreads" and saying "she earned it." The four officers involved in the incident were Salisbury Police Officers Devin Barkalow and Adam Bouk, Rowan County Sheriff's Deputy Mark Benfield, and an officer only . Former Salisbury Police officer Devin Barkalow is accused of pulling Bottom out of the vehicle by her hair. Lawsuit to be filed against police after Calif. man dies while being restrained by police. The first of five demands listed in the Salisbury-Rowan NAACPs letter to local law enforcement is for the agencies to release the officers body camera video and the dash camera video in the traffic stop incident. 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