Man accuses Stanislaus County sheriff’s deputies of using excessive force at county fair
By Daniel Macht, Michelle Bandur
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STANISLAUS COUNTY, California (KCRA) — A 22-year-old Turlock man has taken legal action against the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, accusing deputies of unlawful detention and of using excessive force against him at the county fair over the summer.
Ronaldo Hernandez and his attorneys announced Wednesday the filing of a government claim, a precursor to a lawsuit, that stems from the incident on July 20.
In a press conference, attorney Neil Gehlawat said Hernandez was a recent graduate of California State University, Stanislaus with honors who had been attending the fair with his family.
He was socializing with them and friends after a concert when he “felt a jolt to his body.”
“And the next thing you know, he is being punched in the face and punched in the body and being thrown to the ground by Stanislaus County Sheriff’s deputies,” Gehlawat said.
Video footage released by the attorneys captured part of the interaction, which showed Hernandez being tackled and hit repeatedly as other deputies surrounded him to keep bystanders from intervening.
The video does not show what led up to the confrontation or how it concluded.
Hernandez was detained in jail overnight and charged with public intoxication and resisting arrest “even though he was sober and does not drink,” according to his attorneys.
They said the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office rejected the case due to a lack of evidence on Aug. 27. KCRA 3 has reached out to the DA’s office for confirmation.
Gehlawat said Hernandez now has trouble lifting heavy objects which has led to him becoming unemployed. He also has trouble with short-term memory.
“That night changed my life forever,” Hernandez said in reading a statement. “Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. What happened to me was more than just excessive force. It was an assault on my dignity, my sense of safety, and my trust in the system that’s supposed to protect us.”
He added that he now fears law enforcement and has other “emotional scars.”
KCRA 3 reached out to the sheriff’s office for a response to the allegations. A sheriff’s spokesperson said the office was aware of the incident and claim, but does not comment on pending litigation or personnel matters.
“Ronaldo keeps asking us why this happened to him, and we have no answer,” Hernandez’s parents said in a press release. “ We are seeking justice not just for our son, but to ensure this never happens to another family.”
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