RIALTO, Calif. (KNX) — The family of a 16-year-old girl who was violently arrested by Rialto police earlier this month has initiated a lawsuit on her behalf.
The arrest occurred on Feb. 11 shortly after 4 p.m. when the teen had been stopped for allegedly speeding on an unlicensed mini-bike, according to Rialto police. Cell phone video taken by a witness showed one of the two responding officers throwing the girl to the ground and then appearing to grab her by the throat.
"I was in tears. She was crying out, and I wasn't there to help her," the teen's father Demetrio Jennings said at a press conference on Monday.
"I didn't get there fast enough ... Try to teach my kids to do the right thing, you know, but she was violated," Jennings said.
Rialto Police Chief Mark Kling issued an apology to the girl and her family last Tuesday after reviewing bodycam footage of the incident.
"I have personally viewed officer body worn camera footage and although the video depicts the juvenile resisting officers, we are investigating the officer's decision to trip the juvenile to the ground and later placing his hand on the juvenile's throat during the arrest," Kling said in a statement.
"We apologize to the juvenile's family regarding these unfortunate circumstances," Kling said. "At a time when our police department strives to build community relationships, we certainly fell short in this encounter. We look forward to building rapport with this family now and in the future."
Kling said he had requested an independent investigation into the arrest by the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office, and ordered an internal affairs investigation of the officers involved.
The officer accused of grabbing the girl by the neck has been placed on paid administrative leave.
Police contended the teen was uncooperative when stopped and refused to provide her name or address so she could not be cited for alleged speeding. She was charged with resisting arrest by threat of violence and was released after four days in a detention center.
In video of the arrest, one officer can be heard saying, “Did you just try to bite me?” to which the girl tearfully responds, “No, I didn’t!”
The teen’s attorney has not yet addressed the biting allegations.
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