Plaintiff:
Evaristo Rodriguez
Incident date:
07/25/2008
Location:
1100 N California Ave.
Allegations:
Rodriguez was driving along the Kennedy Expressway when he noticed a man lying in the roadway. He spotted officers in an unmarked police car a short distance away and attempted to draw their attention to the man in the road. Officers did not stop their vehicle at first so Rodriguez pointed his green laser pointer--which he used for his job with the water and sewer department--at a sign in front of the officers' vehicle. This caused the officers to arrest Rodriguez and charge him with aggravated assault of a police officer and unlawful use of a weapon. Rodriguez was suffering from three herniated discs in his neck and had recently undergone rotator cuff surgery, so it hurt to put his arms behind his back during the arrest. He told the officers this but they handcuffed him with his hands behind his back, causing him pain and discomfort. The charges were later dismissed.