A 50-year-old woman who went into cardiac arrest after being Tasered by
two California Highway Patrol officers is now planning to sue the
agency.
Dash cam video captured the June 4 incident. It started when the officers noticed Angela Jones sitting in a car parked illegally on the side of a road in Encino.
They asked Jones to get out of the vehicle. She got out, but refused to put down her purse. The officer told her he needed to handcuff her, but she said she didn't do anything wrong. Jones ran for her car and the tasing began.
Her loud, painful screams were soon replaced by silence and she was no longer responding. An officer was heard telling her that she needs to stand up. As backup officers arrived on scene, several tense minutes ticked by.
"Ma'am, come on, try and wake up," one officer was heard saying.
Officers eventually pulled Jones from her car and began chest compressions. Jones' attorney said her client suffered permanent brain injuries after losing oxygen to her brain for several minutes and she can't even remember the incident.
Jones is now being criminally charged with failing to comply with a peace officer, resisting arrest, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of less than an ounce of marijuana. Jones' attorney said her client passed a field sobriety test. She is due in court Dec. 7.
"These officers unnecessarily and unlawfully Tasered my client and she suffered a cardiac arrest. Now, she is the one being criminally charged. We look forward to trial where we are confident Ms. Jones will be acquitted of all misdemeanor charges. In fact, the evidence will show it was the officers who acted unlawfully. Their behavior here is downright criminal," said Jones' attorney, Maria Cavalluzzi.
The CHP initally had no comment for Eyewitness News, however on Tuesday, released this statement: "As in all use-of-force incidents, the California Highway Patrol has reviewed the application of the taser during the arrest of Ms. Jones. The use of the taser in this incident appears to be within CHP policy. Appropriate charges were filed against Ms. Jones subsequent to her arrest, and the case is currently working its way through the judicial system. Out of respect of that process and to avoid interfering with the successful prosecution of this case, we will not have further comment at this time."
Dash cam video captured the June 4 incident. It started when the officers noticed Angela Jones sitting in a car parked illegally on the side of a road in Encino.
They asked Jones to get out of the vehicle. She got out, but refused to put down her purse. The officer told her he needed to handcuff her, but she said she didn't do anything wrong. Jones ran for her car and the tasing began.
Her loud, painful screams were soon replaced by silence and she was no longer responding. An officer was heard telling her that she needs to stand up. As backup officers arrived on scene, several tense minutes ticked by.
"Ma'am, come on, try and wake up," one officer was heard saying.
Officers eventually pulled Jones from her car and began chest compressions. Jones' attorney said her client suffered permanent brain injuries after losing oxygen to her brain for several minutes and she can't even remember the incident.
Jones is now being criminally charged with failing to comply with a peace officer, resisting arrest, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of less than an ounce of marijuana. Jones' attorney said her client passed a field sobriety test. She is due in court Dec. 7.
"These officers unnecessarily and unlawfully Tasered my client and she suffered a cardiac arrest. Now, she is the one being criminally charged. We look forward to trial where we are confident Ms. Jones will be acquitted of all misdemeanor charges. In fact, the evidence will show it was the officers who acted unlawfully. Their behavior here is downright criminal," said Jones' attorney, Maria Cavalluzzi.
The CHP initally had no comment for Eyewitness News, however on Tuesday, released this statement: "As in all use-of-force incidents, the California Highway Patrol has reviewed the application of the taser during the arrest of Ms. Jones. The use of the taser in this incident appears to be within CHP policy. Appropriate charges were filed against Ms. Jones subsequent to her arrest, and the case is currently working its way through the judicial system. Out of respect of that process and to avoid interfering with the successful prosecution of this case, we will not have further comment at this time."