Former officers face criminal charges for arrest of Colorado woman with dementia
Former Loveland Police Department officers Austin Hopp and Daria Jalali face criminal charges, including official misconduct, for their treatment of 73-year-old Karen Garner when they arrested her last summer.
Hopp also faces charges of assault causing serious bodily injury and attempting to influence a public servant, while Jalali faces charges of failure by a peace officer to intervene and to report use of force.
Details of officers’ treatment of Garner, who has dementia, came to light last month when attorney Sarah Schielke filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of Garner.
She released video footage of Garner’s arrest, which shows Garner suffered a dislocated shoulder and broken arm among other injuries.
Footage of officers’ behavior during the several hours she was in custody shows them mocking the incident and Garner’s injuries.
Police arrested Garner after she walked out of a Walmart having forgotten to pay for less than $15 worth of goods.
The charges Jalali faces of failure to report use of force and failure to intervene are Class 1 misdemeanors, while official misconduct is a Class 2 misdemeanor.
Hopp’s charge of assault causing serious injury is a Class 3 felony and attempting to influence a public servant is a Class 4 felony.
Hopp and Jalali, along with community service officer Tyler Blackett, resigned at the end of April.
Three more Loveland officers on leave over arrest of woman with dementia
Gordon McLaughlin, district attorney for the Eighth Judicial District covering Larimer and Jackson counties, will hold a briefing at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Larimer County Courthouse to share the results of the district’s Critical Incident Response Team investigation of the incident.
Denver Gazette news partner 9News will stream the news conference live.
A spokesmanfor Loveland police confirmed Chief Robert Ticer will provide a statement later Wednesday.