Lynwood man claims LASD deputies used excessive force during his arrest
(FOX 11) - A Lynwood man plans to sue the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department after he claims several deputies used excessive force to take him into custody during an April arrest.
29-year-old Daniel Lollis, a former Marine, claims several deputies from LASD's Century station punched him in his head and body while he wasn't resisting, but LASD says the deputies acted appropriately given the circumstances.
Lollis claims it all started when a deputy stopped him on April 19th for running a red light while riding his bike. He also had a beer in his bag.
"I was like what did I do?" Lollis said. "And he just kept saying shut the f*** up, shut the f*** up."
Lollis said when he had his hands on the hood of the patrol car while being searched, he felt like the deputy grinded up against him from behind too much.
"I said stop what are you doing? It feels like you're trying to f*** me in the a**, he said what?? I said I feel like you're trying to f*** me in the a**," Lollis said. "He threw my head onto the car three times I believe, and then he threw me to the ground."
Video from a witness shows the deputy using strikes to try to take Lollis into custody, who was not yet handcuffed.
Within moments, several other deputies get involved.
"You just see me covering my face, I'm not resisting I'm not trying to push him off, I'm not swinging or nothing," Lollis said.
Lollis was taken to jail where he claims he was accused of punching and kicking a deputy, which he denies.
He told FOX 11 he recorded a video confession and pleaded no contest to a charge of battery on an officer in hopes of a lighter sentence, not feeling that he had a choice.
He says he was released from jail on June 6th, and just saw the video of his arrest this week.
"I'm hurt, I have PTSD, I'm depressed all the time, and this officer failed to understand who I was, he stopped me, harassed me, assaulted me," Lollis said.
When asked for a comment about Lollis' allegations, LASD responded with the following statement:
"The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) is aware of the incident and video which occurred on April 19, 2018, in an area patrolled by our Century Sheriff's Station. With more than 2.5 million public contacts, over 1 million calls for service and 33,000 emergency 911 calls during an average year throughout the Department, there are times when deputies are confronted by dangerous or combative suspects who do not comply with lawful orders. Any level of force used by members of the LASD is taken very seriously by the Department and the County of Los Angeles and is thoroughly investigated. The criminal case involving this suspect has been thoroughly investigated and adjudicated in a court of law. The suspect was sentenced to 120 days in jail for Battery on a Peace Officer. The actions of the involved deputies were deemed to have been within Department policy and the law based on the totality of the circumstances."
-Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department