North Texas Man Struck By Former Lake Worth Police Officer Files Federal Lawsuit Against Him
LAKE WORTH, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - A Denton County man filed a federal lawsuit Monday, Jan. 24 against a former Lake Worth police officer alleging the officer ran him over while the man was running away in November 2020.
The lawsuit accuses then-Officer Jonathan Granado of using excessive force when he hit Dustin Bates in a police SUV.
Bates was unarmed but did not pull over for a traffic stop due to a license plate issue while riding a motorcycle.
The incident was captured on Granado's dash cam.
Lake Worth Police Chief J.T. Manoushagian said Granado initiated the traffic stop because the license plate was obscured and he thought the motorcycle might be stolen.
It turned out the motorcycle was not stolen, but he was in possession of half an ounce of methamphetamine and had a parole warrant out for his arrest.
The chase didn't last long as Bates wrecked the motorcycle and ran across a field.
Chief Manoushagian said Granado left the roadway but applied the brakes on wet grass and slid until he collided with Bates.
He said Bates was not run over. He was struck as the officer was traveling around 45 miles per hour.
Chief Manoushagian said he reached out to Grand Prairie Police to handle a criminal investigation while Lake Worth internal affairs handled an internal investigation.
Bates suffered three fractured ribs, a broken right leg and a fractured spine in the incident, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.
Police said those injuries could have occurred when he lost control of the motorcycle.
Bates was later charged with evading arrest and drug possession, according to Tarrant County criminal court records.
Those charges were dismissed in August 2021.
Regarding the officer, a grand jury decided to take no criminal action.
The officer resigned from the police department and Chief Manoushagian said that was a decision the department supported.
He said what he saw on the dash cam video was not in keeping with what he expects from his officers.
He said the officer used poor judgment.
WATCH POLICE CHIEF NEWS CONFERENCE HERE
