Man arrested at Stanislaus County fair files claim alleging deputies used excessive force
A Turlock man is filing a claim against Stanislaus County, alleging sheriff's deputies used excessive force when arresting him at the county fair in July.
Attorneys representing Renaldo Hernandez announced the claim in a press conference on Wednesday.
"That night changed my life forever, not just physically but mentally and emotionally," Hernandez said.
Hernandez said what happened to him during his arrest "was more than excessive force."
"It was an assault on my dignity, my sense of safety, and my trust in the system that is supposed to protect us," he said.
Attorney Neil Gehlawat, with Taylor & Ring Law Firm, claims Hernandez was pushed from behind by deputies for no apparent reason. Cellphone video captured the moments after, appearing to show Hernandez being punched multiple times before being taken to the ground.
"We can't expect our law enforcement agencies and officers and deputies to act this way," Gehlawat said.
Following the incident, Hernandez was booked into jail before being taken to the hospital for a brief evaluation. He then returned to jail.
The next day, he was charged with public intoxication and resisting arrest. However, prosecutors later dropped those charges due to a lack of evidence.
Gehlawat said that while that was a relief, Hernandez still suffers from physical and emotional trauma from the incident.
"We hope the sheriff's office takes this as an opportunity to look at what happened and to discipline the deputies who played a role in this," he said.
Filing a government claim is the first step before suing a public agency. Stanislaus County has 45 days to respond. If it rejects or fails to act, Hernandez's attorneys plan to file a federal civil rights lawsuit in Sacramento.
We reached out to the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office for comment. They say they are aware of the complaint but are not making any comments at this time.