Man Loved by OC Deputies After Calling 911 to Complain They Received $500,000 – Orange County Register

Orange County supervisors on Tuesday agreed to pay $500,000 to settle a federal lawsuit alleging two deputies misled a man who called 911 to complain they harassed him. .

The settlement was approved in closed session and subsequently accepted by attorneys for David Andrews.

The civil rights lawsuit alleges deputies Stephan Harder and Robert Seamans used excessive force against Andrews, who was sleeping in his car in the parking lot of a Yorba Linda gym early in the morning. August 2, 2018.

According to the lawsuit, Harder and Seamans – who created news stories in 2017 for using his body to shield civilians during a shooting at a Las Vegas music festival – looked saw the vehicle while on patrol and stopped to investigate. They went to the car with their shotguns and flashlights, waking Andrews. They ordered Andrews out of the car and then questioned him about what he was doing. They also asked to see his identification.

Andrews, who recently broke up with his live-in girlfriend, told officers he had been given permission by the business owner to sleep in his car on the property. Andrews then asked why he was fired and why they needed his identification, the lawsuit said.

The delegates eventually released Andrews and left. After they left, Andrews called 911 to complain that his deputies had harassed him.

While he was still on the phone, Harder, a 10-year veteran, and Seamans, a nine-year former sheriff, returned. The suit said they told Andrews they would arrest him if he didn’t stop complaining. Andrews continued his complaint to the 911 operator.

Deputies put on their gloves and “went strong” on Andrews, who pleaded for help over the phone, said the lawsuit. They used the Taser on him when he pleaded with the 911 operator, the suit said.

The congressmen arrested Andrews for making false statements and sent him to jail. Prosecutors later declined to bring charges.

Andrews is initially seeking more than $6 million in damages.

“It was another case where the police didn’t know the law,” said Andrews’ attorney, Jerry Directing of Newport Beach. “They feel so guilty that they don’t identify themselves as police officers.”

The Sheriff’s Department declined to comment.