Complaint #200107902,
December 4, 2001

Summary

On December 4, 2001, at approximately 9:30 AM, [redacted] was driving a marked Department of Transportation (DOT) vehicle north on Centre Street in Manhattan, en route to the DOT headquarters on Worth Street. At the Worth Street intersection, [redacted] was told by Lieutenant Richard Diblasio, who was overseeing a traffic checkpoint set by Captain Michael Pilecki in response to the altered traffic conditions in Lower Manhattan following the September 11th attacks, that she could not make a left turn. [redacted] verbally resisted and maintained that she would make the turn, at the same time, preventing traffic flow throughout the intersection. Lieutenant Diblasio instructed Officer Leonardo Ortiz to issue [redacted] a summons [redacted] and told her to move her car to the side of the street. [redacted] then struck the Lieutenant with her car as she proceeded to drive northbound on Centre Street. The Lieutenant held onto the driver's window in fear of falling underneath the tires and began running with the car. Two Supreme Court Officers observed this and ran onto the street to try and stop [redacted]'s car. One drew his firearm and stood in the middle of Centre Street until [redacted] pulled her vehicle over to the west side of Centre Street between Worth and Leonard Streets. Lieutenant Diblasio then called Captain Pilecki to the scene to verify her arrest. He arrived and, after observing Officer Ortiz having great difficulty in subduing [redacted] assisted in her arrest. [redacted] alleged that Captain Pilecki, and Officer Ortiz each used physical force while handcuffing her. Read report for details.