SACRAMENTO - A Madera County minor sued the county, as well as four law enforcement officers, after her father was shot to death in an April 2020 confrontation with the Madera County Sheriff's Office, according to documents filed Feb. 23 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California.
The plaintiff's father, Artemio Alfaro, had a reputation for running from the police, the suit said. On April 29, Alfaro was confronted by the four officers who intended to arrest Alfaro for two outstanding warrants.
Alfaro fled law enforcement in his truck. A high-speed chase allegedly ensued. The plaintiff's father was found on foot near a rural farmhouse, where he again attempted to get into his vehicle and flee. The officers unsuccessfully attempted to remove Alfaro from his vehicle through restraint, force, taser and K-9, the suit says.
Alfaro put the truck into drive three times, the suit says. Deputy Brendan Johnson fired into the vehicle 10 times, hitting Alfaro with seven shots, the suit says. Alfaro was pronounced dead at the scene.
The plaintiff, J.A., is pressing for one charge of unlawful seizure and use of excessive force, one count of municipal liability for unconstitutional custom, practice or policy, failure to train and supervisory liability, one count of battery, one count of negligence resulting in wrongful death and one Bane Act violation.
The entire list of defendants includes: Madera County, Deputy Brendan Johnson, Deputy Logan Majeski, Deputy Jose Iniguez, Sergeant Jeffrey Thomas and a number of others that have not yet been identified.
The plaintiff is represented by William L. Schmidt, Attorney at Law, PC, of Fresno and Stuart Chandler.