Complaint #201908416,
September 21, 2019

Summary

On September 21, 2019, at approximately 10:50 p.m., [redacted] and his friend, [redacted] were driving in his vehicle when they were pulled over by Police Officer Christian Lopez and Police Officer Alex Viera of the 77th Precinct, in an unmarked RMP, in the vicinity of [redacted] in Brooklyn. PO Lopez told [redacted] that he pulled him over for failing to signal and [redacted] asserted that he did signal. PO Lopez told [redacted] that his vehicle smelled like marijuana, and ordered him and [redacted] to exit. After exiting, PO Lopez frisked [redacted] while PO Viera frisked [redacted] and after, PO Viera searched the passenger compartment of [redacted] s vehicle and recovered a bag of marijuana therein (Allegation A, B, and C: Abuse of Authority-Frisk/Vehicle Search, [redacted] and [redacted] reentered the vehicle, however, a few minutes later, PO Lopez returned, informed [redacted] he had an open warrant, handcuffed him, and transported him and his vehicle to the 77th Precinct stationhouse.
After his release the afternoon of September 22, 2019, [redacted] went back to the 77th Precinct stationhouse to retrieve his property and vehicle. [redacted] was upset that the officers had disabled his vehicle when it was returned to him, and requested to speak with a supervisor. Sergeant Denis Fitzgerald of the 77th Precinct, also refused to fix his vehicle, and threatened to arrest him if he did not leave the stationhouse (Allegation D: Abuse of Authority-Threat of Arrest, [redacted] Read report for details.