A suspect reportedly crashed right into a cement truck and a automotive carrying two babies whereas fleeing Vallejo authorities Friday — earlier than gaining widespread media consideration when her arresting officer punched her within the head.
Police say 19-year-old Maiya Inexperienced was resisting arrest and attempting to flee when the officer struck her. Legal professional Normal Rob Bonta known as a video of the incident “disturbing” and “regarding” in an unrelated press convention Monday.
Inexperienced, in accordance with a press launch from the town of San Luis Obispo, had been arrested simply days earlier than the incident for reportedly stealing $44,000 in merchandise from a Sunglass Hut in that metropolis Oct 4.
Employees at a enterprise on the 1100 block of Admiral Callaghan Lane flagged down a Vallejo officer Friday, claiming two folks had simply stolen over $1,000 price of merchandise, the Vallejo Police Division mentioned in a social media publish. An worker mentioned the suspects have been in a blue Nissan Altima that was leaving the enterprise’s parking zone at that second.
The officer tried to tug the automotive over however Inexperienced reportedly refused to cease – as a substitute operating a pink mild and crashing into two different automobiles in a “quick pursuit,” police mentioned.
A lady in an SUV “sustained average accidents” after the suspects reportedly crashed into her, however her two 4-year-old sons have been unhurt. The cement-truck driver was not injured.
When the fleeing automobile got here to a cease, a passenger allegedly fled on foot earlier than the responding officer might cease them. The officer then opened the driving force’s aspect door.
A TikTok video of the incident – which had obtained 787,000 views as of Tuesday and gained consideration from quite a few regional and nationwide retailers – exhibits the officer attain into the automotive and pull Inexperienced out by the hand.
The girl pulls away from the officer, and he slams her in opposition to the cement truck that she has apparently simply crashed into. She will get away from the cement truck and runs just a few steps, however the officer stops her and throws her onto the bottom.
The officer then punches her.
Inexperienced may be heard shouting because the officer handcuffs her and hauls her to her ft.
“The officer tried to pin the suspect in opposition to the cement truck, however she resisted and tried to flee the scene,” the Vallejo Police Division wrote. “The officer carried out a management maintain take down to forestall her from operating. As soon as the suspect was on the bottom, she continued to actively resist, pivoting her physique and gauging the officer’s arm in an try to flee, prompting him to strike her as soon as to achieve rapid compliance.”
VPD spokesperson Sgt. Rashad Hollis mentioned he was not at liberty to launch the officer’s identify Tuesday.
Legal professional Normal Bonta mentioned a evaluate of this incident was “simply starting” as of Monday.
“That incident could have its personal accountability journey. There will likely be a possibility for investigation, evaluate, oversight, additionally authorized accountability if essential,” he mentioned.
Police allege that Inexperienced is a repeat offender a number of occasions over. Along with her Southern California arrest, she had a $50,000 warrant out for her arrest in Napa for reported grand theft, in addition to a $10,000 warrant over a San Mateo housebreaking.
The Vallejo enterprise additionally supplied proof that Inexperienced and her confederate had stolen one other $1,000 price of merchandise Sept. 26, authorities mentioned.
San Luis Obispo authorities, for his or her half, charged Inexperienced and an alleged confederate with felony grand theft and felony organized retail theft.
Final month, the state denied Vallejo funds to fight organized retail theft as a result of the town had allotted an excessive amount of cash to the evaluator it could have employed to supervise a deliberate venture.
