SAN FRANCISCO -- A new lawsuit accuses Mountain View police of harassing a man while he and his girlfriend were fighting at a concert.
Anthony Gonzalez filed a federal complaint on August 9 in the Northern District of California against the City of Mountain View and some of its police officers for excessive force, unlawful detention/arrest, violation of the first amendment - retaliatory arrest and force, violation of the Bane Act, battery, negligence and false imprisonment/illegal detention.
According to the complaint, on Sept. 7, 2019, Gonzalez was attending a concert at the Shoreline Amphitheatre with his girlfriend. Gonzalez and his girlfriend were allegedly having a verbal disagreement while waiting for an Uber to take them to a hotel.
Gonzalez and his girlfriend were approached by a security guard working at the event who asked them if everything was okay, and Gonzalez told security there were no issues, the suit says.
Gonzalez alleges that suddenly, several officers surrounded them and arrested Gonzalez. Gonzalez alleges that one officer forcefully grabbed him and ordered him to sit on the curb.
Gonzalez alleges that officers began to forcefully grab, choke, and slam him into the ground until he became unconscious. Gonzalez regained consciousness and was still being choked while telling the officers that he could not breathe, the suit says. Afterwards, Gonzalez was charged with resisting arrest and public intoxication, the suit says.
The district attorney declined to press the charges after reviewing the case, the suit says.
Gonzalez seeks general, special and punitive damages, cost of suit, and attorney's fees. Gonzalez is represented by Patrick Buelna.
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California3:21-cv-06096-AGT