This should anger all of us.. The officers pulled Bottom's arms behind her back while she shrieked in pain as sirens blared in the background, according to the footage. Officers issued Bottom a summons, charging her with "speeding failure to heed blue lights, and resisting, delaying, and obstructing an officer for allegedly refusing to get out of her vehicle and pulling away from the officer," according to the lawsuit. Devin Barkalow M in 2019 was employed in City of Salisbury and had annual salary of $54,148 according to public records. The then-66-year-old librarian from Fulton County, Georgia, was listening to music and didn't initially see the flashing blue lights coming from the police vehicle behind her, Holmes said. Relatives & Associates. And thank God they had to wear body cams or we still wouldnt know what happened., Rev. But she said women have made progress since, even in light of the scandal, in which members of an online group allegedly shared or commented on images of nude or semi-clad female Marines. As Rowan County Sheriff's Deputy Mark Benfield and Barkalow approached her vehicle they had their guns drawn and pointed at her, according to the lawsuit. A sheriffs office report from 2019 says the incident occurred at 8:16 p.m. on May 30 near mile marker 74 on Interstate 85. The Registered Agent on file for this company is Devin Michael Barkalow and is located at W8944 Archer Rd, Wild Rose, WI 54984. Bouk refused, while the three other officers ignored her pleas. Bottom appeared befuddled at the officers aggressive response. shows Benfield, who approached the car initially with a weapon raised, pulling Bottom out of the vehicle by the arm. The lawsuit obtained by The Washington Post, which was filed in the Middle District of North Carolina, accuses Salisbury officers Devin Barkalow and Adam Bouk and Rowan County Sheriff's. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Salisbury and Rowan County officers used excessive force. In addition to officers involved in the stop, the lawsuit names Rowan County Sheriff Kevin Auten and Pennsylvania National Mutual Casualty Insurance Company. Helping a Hero is a charity that builds specialized homes for injured service members. The first of five demands listed in the Salisbury-Rowan NAACPs letter to local law enforcement is for the agencies to release the officers body camera video and the dash camera video in the traffic stop incident. "We physically saw him go white as a ghost from the loss of blood, he was about to go into a faint stage, so we just stopped with all the talk and just carried on with the first aid.". He identified her on the radio as an older Black female. A frustrated Barkalow called Bottom a fucking retard and a douche bag while chasing her in his squad car. She had to be hospitalized and undergo surgery for a torn rotator cuff. Four law enforcement officers are named in the federal lawsuit filed in US District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. A federal lawsuit filed by a Georgia woman claims officers from Salisbury and Rowan County used excessive force during a traffic stop in 2019 when they pulled her from the car by her hair and tore her rotator cuff. Stephanie Bottom was driving on May 30, 2019, along Interstate 85 from Georgia to North Carolina to attend her great aunt's funeral, her attorney Scott Holmes told CNN on Tuesday. She joined the staff in January 2020 after graduating from Louisiana State University, where she was editor of The Reveille newspaper. In situations like this, theyre so serious. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages for the alleged use of excessive force and unlawful search of the plaintiff's purse and vehicle. It was very frightening. Theres nothing that can justify how she was pulled out of the car, but what led up to that?. Benfield and a second cop, Officer Devin Barkalow, then struggle to put handcuffs on Bottom while she lies face-down on the side of the roadway, according to the footage. Officers had their sirens on for at least 10 minutes, according to body camera footage that is cited in the lawsuit and was reviewed by CNN. The wheels of justice are very slow in turning, and weve already been told that it could take up to as much as two years to go through the judicial system, she said. Benfield, Bouk and Barkalow pinned her to the ground with their arms and knees on Bottoms back, the lawsuit alleges. There are no facts likely to emerge that warrant a 68 year old to be manhandled like that, fucking none. Body camera footage shows Benfield pulling Bottom out of the vehicle by her arm. Were not asking for much, Black said. After the search, officers told Bottom to stand, but she said she couldn't due to the pain in her shoulder, according to the suit. In this conversation. 68-year-old woman claims she was thrown to the ground by police for speeding 13,595 views Apr 23, 2021 A 68-year-old librarian is suing the City of Salisbury and the Rowan County Sheriff's. The suit alleges that in his official capacity he "approved and condoned the unlawful behavior.". contact info. Video shows officers pulling Bottoms arms behind her back. Bottom said she was driving to Raleigh for a funeral in May 2019 when she was pulled over for speeding and failing to heed to blue lights. Durham, NC 27707 Defendant Attorney NED A. STILES Attorney at STILES BYRUM & HORNE, LLP She was "terrified," according to the lawsuit, as officers shouted at her to exit the vehicle. Derek Chauvin trial juror details courtroom experience, deliberations: 'You're watching somebody die on a daily basis'. Black said he was frustrated with the fact that the incident and the impending lawsuit were only brought to light recently. She really looked confused and scared if anything. Bailey reminded the public that the Salisbury Police Departments use of force policies are available on the citys website. CNN has reached out to Rowan County Sheriff's Department for comment but has not yet heard back. And theyre the ones we fear the most.. Black said he would like to see an updated mission statement that features language pertaining to people like Bottom, who may only be visiting Rowan County or simply passing through. Bottom is being represented by Scott Holmes, professor of the Civil Litigation Clinic, a program for third-year law-school students at the North Carolina Central University. Stephanie Bottom was terror-stricken in the drivers seat of her SUV, trying not to move as three officers in Salisbury, N.C., held her at gunpoint during a traffic stop for speeding in May 2019. Didnt want to get thrown out of a car? In the footage, Bottom is seen screaming as Benfield, Barkalow, and Salisbury Police Officer Adam Bouk force her to lay face down on the ground, according to the lawsuit. "I was sitting at a red light at the square in here in Salisbury when the call came in that we had a gunshot victim," said Master Police Officer Joe Wilson. Bottoms lawsuit disagrees with the Rowan County Sheriffs Office assessment, saying defendants were deliberately indifferent to the fact that their use of force was unreasonable, excessive and without lawful justification or excuse; and thus a violation of both statutory and constitutional law.. The second cop just comes rushing in and let's adrenaline take over. She was accused of refusing to get out of her vehicle and pulling away from the officer. The lawsuit denied those allegations. ROWAN COUNTY, NC (WBTV) - Salisbury police officers chased and shot the tires of a murder suspect's car during apursuit Friday, according to police. Many more people die in car accidents than because of guns and whatnot. Gemale Black, president of the Salisbury-Rowan NAACP, said the letter was sent to both law enforcement agencies as well as Salisbury city council members and the Rowan County Board of Commissioners. Other sheriff's. City of Salisbury Communications Director Linda McElroy said the police department completed a use of force report for Barkalow, but the document is part of his personnel record and cant be released. Officers with the Rowan County Sheriff's Office and the Salisbury Police Department were attempting to conduct a traffic stop on Bottom, alleging she was driving 80 mph in a 70-mph zone, according to the suit. source code | run your own mirror bot? Once on the ground, officers twisted Bottoms arm behind her back, causing her shoulder to pop, tearing her rotator cuff and causing severe injury, the lawsuit said. Officers Barkalow and Bouk picked up by her arms, inflicting additional pain to her shoulder, forced her to stand and put her in the back of a patrol car, according to the lawsuit. Her attorneys argue the officers didnt give the elderly woman enough time to exit her vehicle and acted recklessly by forcibly removing her. According to the lawsuit, Bottom did not believe she was driving fast and did not think the police were trying to stop her. The second officer at the scene, Devin Brosnan, faces an aggravated assault charge for allegedly standing on Brooks' shoulders in the parking lot. Derek Barkalow Found. attempted to drive around the Stop Sticks that were used to deflate her tires. The video shows Salisbury Deputy Mark Benfield approaching Ms Bottom's car with his gun drawn before grabbing her hair and dragging her to the ground. The force applied by the officers caused Bottom's "shoulder to 'pop,' tearing her rotator cuff and causing severe injury," according to the lawsuit. The fourth officer named in the lawsuit is Rowan County Sheriff Kevin Auten. The lawsuit obtained by The Washington Post, which was filed in the Middle District of North Carolina, accuses Salisbury officers Devin Barkalow and Adam Bouk and Rowan County Sheriffs deputy Mark Benfield of hurting the librarian so badly that she was forced to miss eight months of work. In the lawsuit, Bottom says law enforcement officers used excessive force, drew their guns during the stop, pulled her out of the car by her hair and tore her rotator cuff. Bottom, who did not immediately realize police wanted her to stop, was looking for a safe place to pull over when police used spike strips to stop her SUV. SALISBURY, NC (WBTV) - Two Salisbury police officers were honored as lifesavers for their work in saving a man who had been shot twice and was bleeding to death. Anger is only one of the emotions I felt when I witnessed the video of what transpired between Ms. Stephanie Bottom and the officers in 2019. Cars are extremely dangerous in the wrong hands, and just in general. "Once it became clear they wanted her to pull over she was afraid and was looking for a safe place to pull over," Holmes told CNN in an email. Youre going to jail now, the policeman responded. We found 5 entries for Derek Barkalow in the United States. ): Spencer D. Matthews, 39, Daytona Beach, habitual driving . Barkalow said he no longer works for the police department but declined to say where he's working now. A Black woman was allegedly grabbed by the hair and pulled out of her SUV by North Carolina police during a traffic stop in 2019 after she was driving 10 miles per hour over the speed limit and failed to stop for law enforcement, according to a civil lawsuit filed last week. If you have trouble with any of the links above, please contact the user who provided them. They ignored her cries for medical attention and failed to render immediate treatment for her injuries. Another officer involved in the traffic stop, only identified as Officer Smith, pulled ahead of Bottom and deployed spike strips that immediately immobilized her vehicle, the lawsuit says. I'm a diabetic and having high or low sugar around police is a scary thought. Represented By. Stop Sticks, a tire deflation device, were deployed and punctured Bottoms tires, forcing her to pull over on the shoulder of the road near the point where I-85 splits into I-85 Business near the Davidson County Airport. Former Salisbury Police officer Devin Barkalow is accused of pulling Bottom out of the vehicle by her hair. In a statement to the media, the Salisbury Police Department said it was unable to comment on pending litigation but that it strives "for positive interactions with our residents and visitors, including in cases where (police) may suspect criminal activity.". So why was it necessary to handle an old lady so aggressively when she is sitting in a car and there are a dozen other cops on the scene? And the departments did not seem inclined to take action to hold these officers accountable. 25.2k members in the USNEWS community. We released a statement because theres a lot of concern on how these officers and the Sheriffs department handled the situation, when they couldve handed it much more professionally than that, said Black, who was in Elizabeth City on Saturday taking part in state NAACP activity regarding the police shooting of Andrew Brown Jr. And if the two concepts seem to conflict -- well, yes, they sometimes do, but Carol Barkalow, 31, wants you to know . "It means a lot, but at the same time it's not really necessary, I was just doing my job," Wilson said. Librarian Sues Over How She Was Treated During Traffic Stop 847,182 views Apr 29, 2021 Body cam video of a 68-year-old Georgia librarian's encounter with police who handcuffed her on the side of. Those we have entrusted to keep us safe. The incident report describes one point during the chase where Master Deputy M. Smith sped up to the side of Bottoms vehicle and saw her put her hand up in a manner that suggested she didnt care or was not sure what was going on.. During this time, Bouk is heard on the body camera footage saying, "That's good police work baby" to other officers, according to the suit. The two officers involved in the chase and shooting, Sgt. The letter states, This week, we watched as a 2019 traffic stop video surfaced of officers from Rowan Countys Sheriffs Office and Salisbury Police Department using excessive force to arrest Stephanie Bottom, a 68-year-old Black librarian from Atlanta.. He is a white male registered to vote in Cabarrus County, North Carolina. It was my understanding that they are taught to be observant of people. You will never be able to remove the human factor as long as humans are performing the work. When Bottom appeared in court, she pleaded guilty to the failure to heed blue lights charge. Bottom, now 68 years old, is a Black librarian. Other sheriffs deputies and police officers joined the chase before a tire deflation device was used near Davidson County Airport. Adam Bouk of the Salisbury Police Department placed a handcuff on Bottoms left hand and the right hand was cuffed with the assistance of two other officers, a sheriffs office narrative states. 'White privilege and entitlement:' NC city official fired after refusing to address woman by doctoral title. In a June 2019 review of the incident, Sgt. On Tuesday Wilson and Barkalow were honored by the City Council for their lifesaving effortsa distinction that Wilson says, wasn't really necessary. As for the other demands, Black said he thinks those could be delivered upon easily. State Representative - MICHAEL DEvIN Capitol Address: Home Address: House of Representatives 1 Hillcrest Rd. The force applied by the officers caused Bottom's "shoulder to 'pop,' tearing her rotator cuff and causing severe injury," according to the lawsuit. A Black woman was allegedly grabbed by the hair and pulled out of her SUV by North Carolina police during a traffic stop in 2019 after she was driving 10 miles per hour over the speed limit and failed to stop for law enforcement, according to a civil lawsuit filed last week. Sgt. A Salisbury police officer involved in the stop bragged about grabbing a handful of dreads, and said at that point she earned it,' the lawsuit said, citing footage from the officers body camera. Barkalow remembers how female cadets were hazed and harassed back then. Bottoms lawsuit was filed April 21 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. Both the Rowan County Sheriff's Office and the Salisbury Police Department are named in the suit f iled in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. Officers had their sirens on for at least 10 minutes, according to body camera footage that is cited in the lawsuit and was reviewed by CNN. 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