Plaintiff:
Joseph L. Bobbitt
Incident date:
07/01/2012
Location:
317 S. Mozart St.
Allegations:
Bobbitt was walking toward his home when officers in an unmarked police vehicle pulled alongside him. The officers asked Bobbitt what he was doing and where his family was. Officer Stipanov ordered him to approach the car. When Bobbitt questioned the officer, Officers Baldassano and Zarbock then got out of the squad car, searched Bobbitt and handcuffed him. As they were doing this, two young men appeared from a nearby alley. The officers placed Bobbitt in the back of the police vehicle. Baldassano and Zarbock pursued the men on foot, while Stipanov chased them in his police car. Bobbitt pleaded for Stipanov to slow down because they were in a residential neighborhood; he feared they would get in an accident. Soon after, Stipanov crashed into someone's home. Baldassano and Zarbock ran to the scene of the accident, told Bobbitt to get out of the car and removed his handcuffs. Stipanov threatened Bobbitt, telling him not to say anything about the incident and instructing him to go home. Shortly after Bobbitt returned home, a sergeant arrived and asked about his condition. He called for Bobbitt to go to a hospital. Baldassano, Zarbock and another officer followed Bobbitt to the hospital, telling him to sign papers and threatening him until he left. Bobbitt returned to the hospital the next day.