Unjustly beaten by deputies, left with a traumatic brain injury, Black man files federal civil rights lawsuit against LA County Sheriff

The New York resident was pulled over for driving a rental truck he was unaware had expired tags.

LOS ANGELES, CALIF., Dec. 9, 2021 – A man who sustained a traumatic brain injury after being beaten by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies during an unlawful arrest on Feb. 18, 2021, has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the county, the sheriff and the individual deputies.

The lawsuit was filed Dec. 8 on behalf of Andre Olivas, of Buffalo, N.Y.

“This was a traffic stop. Mr. Olivas cooperated, but when he asked for a supervisor the deputies decided to double down and beat him mercilessly,” said V. James DeSimone, the Marina del Rey, Calif., civil rights attorney representing Olivas. “There are elements in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department that are out of control. The video of these deputies beating Mr. Olivas is another example of their lawlessness.”

Olivas, 28, was driving a truck he rented from Fluid Truck Share when he was pulled over into a restaurant parking lot at 2001 E. Carson St. in Long Beach. He was using the truck for his business supplying pallets to places like Home Depot.

Deputies claimed the rented truck had expired registration tags. When Olivas was unable to locate the vehicle’s registration he was asked to step out, the lawsuit states. He complied immediately, told them he could show them the truck’s title and suggested they run the VIN, the lawsuit states.

His hands were in front of him and he was holding his cellphone. Without providing any further commands, a deputy grabbed Olivas and said “Why don’t you come here.” Then a second deputy also grabbed him, the lawsuit states.

Olivas asked if he was being arrested and was told no, only detained. He then asked for a supervisor. He was told to place his left hand behind his back to be handcuffed, and as he did, the deputies began to beat him, according to the lawsuit. He was slammed into a patrol car and while he was pinned there, a deputy beat his legs with a baton, punched him more than 20 times in his head, nose and face, and attempted to pepper spray him, the lawsuit states.

The punching and beating continued as deputies dragged him to the back of the truck and threw him to the ground. A bystander’s video shows a deputy beating Olivas in his head as another deputy pins him to the asphalt. Olivas had difficulty breathing for a few moments until the deputy shifted his position, according to the lawsuit.

Since his arrest, Olivas suffers from difficulty hearing, ringing in his ears, recurrent headaches and more, in addition to being traumatized from the police excessive force, the lawsuit states.

Named in the lawsuit are Los Angeles County, LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva and several deputies. The lawsuit was filed Dec. 8 in U.S. District Court, Central District of California. Coincidentally, it was filed the same day that LA County agreed to pay $2.7 million to a mentally ill man who was beaten by LA County sheriff’s deputies.

A copy of the electronically filed lawsuit and video are here: bit.ly/OlivasLawsuit

Los Angeles civil rights attorney V. James DeSimone has dedicated his 35-year law career to providing vigorous and ethical representation to achieve justice for those whose civil and constitutional rights are violated.

Both V. James DeSimone and Andre Olivas are available for interviews; contact Robert Frank, 206-790-6324 or robert@newsroompr.com

NBC: Traffic Stop Video: New York Man Files Excessive Force Lawsuit Against LA Deputies
Lee Bailey’s EURWeb: Andre Olivas is Suing LA Sheriff Dept. – He was Brutally Beaten After Traffic Stop | WATCH

V. James DeSimone

Attorney V. James DeSimone is a 35+ year experienced civil rights & employment lawyer in Southern California. Jim is a Super Lawyer, Rated “Superb” by Avvo, and is a US News & World Report Best Law Firm in California.