A former Colorado police officer shown on body camera video roughly arresting a 73-year-old woman with dementia and later seen joking about it with colleagues was sentenced Thursday to five years in prison. Austin Hopp arrested Karen Garner in 2020 after she left a store without paying for about $14 worth of items in Loveland, […]
Karen Garner
Posted inCrime and Courts, News
Former Loveland police officer pleads guilty in rough arrest of woman with dementia
By Colleen Slevin, The Associated Press A former Colorado police officer shown on body camera video roughly arresting a 73-year-old woman with dementia and later seen joking about it with colleagues pleaded guilty to assault Wednesday in a plea deal opposed by the woman’s family. Austin Hopp faces up to eight years in prison when […]
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Loveland police sergeant in rough arrest of elderly Colorado woman resigns
LOVELAND — A police sergeant who was placed on administrative leave following the rough arrest of a 73-year-old Colorado woman with dementia has resigned. The Loveland Police Department announced Wednesday evening that Phil Metzler submitted his resignation amid a disciplinary review. Police Chief Robert Ticer said in a statement Metzler’s resignation “closes one more chapter […]
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$3 million settlement reached in rough arrest of woman with dementia in Loveland
A Colorado city announced Wednesday it has agreed to pay $3 million to a woman with dementia who was roughly arrested by police last year after being suspected of shoplifting, money which her family said will pay for the around-the-clock care she has needed after her condition deteriorated following her arrest. Then-Officer Austin Hopp arrested […]
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Loveland police officer who roughly arrested elderly woman with dementia will stand trial for assault, judge rules
LOVELAND — A former Colorado police officer involved in the rough arrest of an elderly woman with dementia should stand trial for assault, a judge ruled Monday. District Judge Michelle Brinegar said there is probable cause for the charge against former Loveland police officer Austin Hopp, who will be arraigned in late September, the Loveland […]
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Former Loveland police officers face charges in arrest of woman with dementia
By Colleen Slevin, The Associated Press A police officer who pushed a 73-year-old Colorado woman with dementia to the ground after she left a store without paying for items worth about $14 is facing charges of using excessive force, while a second officer is accused of failing to stop or report his actions, prosecutors said […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Nicolais: How can we make sense out of Karen Garner’s ordeal at the hands of Loveland police?
For a few weeks, I have been haunted by arrest of Karen Garner. Garner is the 73-year-old woman with dementia who had her arm fractured, shoulder dislocated and wrist sprained by Loveland Police officers who wrestled her to the ground for allegedly shoplifting soda and laundry detergent last year. I still cannot make it through […]
Posted inCrime and Courts, News
3 more Loveland police officers placed on leave over arrest of woman with dementia
By Colleen Slevin, The Associated Press Three more police officers involved in the rough arrest of a 73-year-old Colorado woman with dementia have been placed on leave, an official said Wednesday. Officer Daria Jalali, Officer Tyler Blackett and Sgt. Phil Metzler were placed on administrative leave Friday in connection with the arrest of Karen Garner […]
Posted inCrime and Courts, News
Woman with dementia arrested over $14 theft sues Loveland Police Department
By Colleen Slevin, The Associated Press A 73-year-old woman with dementia is suing a Colorado city and members of its police department after she suffered a dislocated shoulder and bruises last year while being arrested after leaving a store without paying for about $14 worth of items. Police body camera video included as part of the […]