An American rider who was rammed by an unmarked police car after a five-minute pursuit and then kicked in the chest has successfully sued the officer for $181,170 in damages.
Aprilia rider Justin Wilkens filed a complaint against Oregon State Trooper Lieutenant Rob Edwards for excessive force, but it was dismissed by the district attorney’s office and the officer has since been promoted to captain.
So Justin decided to sue for damages after paying $31,000 in medical bills from a broken clavicle and fractured rib.
It all started in August 2012 when the officer, driving an unmarked black Camaro patrol car, saw Justin speeding and overtaking cars across double lines.
He began pursuing Justin with the red and blue lights flashing, but no siren. Justin says he didn’t know he was being pursued because he couldn’t hear anything and couldn’t identify the car because of the blur in his mirrors.
The Aprilia and CamaroEven when he did realise he was being pursued by police, he said he was unsure because he had never seen a black Camaro used as a police pursuit vehicle.
As seen in the video, Justin pulls over for the police at the lights and is then rammed by the Camaro and knocked off his bike.
The officer claims that ramming the bike was an accident caused by brake fade.
Edwards then jumps out of the car with his gun pulled and yells at Justin to get down on the ground.
As Justin starts to comply and bends over, the officer kicks him in the chest and forces him to the ground.
A jury of eight have now awarded Justin $31,000 for his medical expenses and bike repairs, $100,000 for his pain and suffering and $50,000 in punitive damages.
The officer, who was reprimanded for “neglecting to report his use of force against Wilkens”, will be forced to pay the full $181,170 to Justin.