A Chico, California, woman has received $3 million from the city of Oroville for a lawsuit stemming from a 2021 incident that left her with serious medical issues. Dana Marie James was arrested by Oroville police and subsequently abandoned at a county dump at midnight, leading to her being struck by a passing car while trying to walk home. This incident left her hospitalized with life-threatening injuries for 35 days and resulted in several surgeries.
The incident began when James was arrested for trespassing in a homeowner's pool during a heatwave. After being released from jail without shoes or transportation, she was found incoherent at a Home Depot and arrested again by Officer Robert Sasek. Due to her condition, she was rejected by the jail and the hospital, leading to Sasek's decision to abandon her at the dump.
During the transport to the dump, Sasek ignored James's inquiries and told her to "just shut up." Upon arrival, Sasek left James without assistance in a remote area, disabling his body camera and vehicle's GPS to avoid detection.
James, left without any means of help, was struck by a vehicle while trying to return to town. She suffered severe injuries, including the loss of part of her colon and two toes, and was hospitalized for an extended period. The ordeal led to a diagnosis of PTSD and ongoing medical issues, necessitating lifelong care and treatment.
Following the incident, James filed a lawsuit accusing city officials of creating a state of danger and negligence, highlighting the violation of James's civil rights. Her attorney, Robert Chalfant, emphasized that the settlement should serve as a warning against the practice of 'dumping' individuals by law enforcement. “Under the 14th Amendment’s ‘State Created Danger’ doctrine, a law enforcement officer can’t put a person they encountered in a more dangerous position than the one they found them in,” Chalfant wrote in a statement.