Ex-officer sentenced to five years in jail for violent arrest of 73-year-old girl

Nearly two years after violently arresting a 73-year-old girl with dementia, former Colorado police officer Austin Hopp was sentenced to 5 years in jail on Thursday as part of a plea settlement to minimize his jail time. The June 2020 arrest left Karen Garner with a damaged arm, sprained wrist and separated shoulder, CBS Denver reported.

In Larimer County Courtroom in early March, Hopp pleaded responsible to an assault cost that was punishable by 2 to eight years in prison. That averted the minimal 10 to 30 or extra years in jail he would have faced with a trial and conviction.

Hopp first encountered Garner after being dispatched to a report of an tried theft at a Loveland Walmart, based on CBS Denver. Garner, who has dementia, allegedly tried to steal lower than $15 value of products from the shop. When confronted by Walmart employees, she returned the gadgets and walked out of the shop.

Physique digicam footage from Hopp showed the officer approaching Garner as she walked residence. Carrying a wildflower in her hand, she didn't adjust to a number of orders to stop. Hopp is then seen grabbing Garner by the arm and forcefully taking her to the bottom, CBS Denver reported.

As fellow officer Daria Jalali responded to the scene, Hopp allegedly separated Garner's shoulder by forcing her arm behind her back and up near her shoulder blades, CBS Denver mentioned. An audible pop is heard on the digital camera, something Hopp acknowledged listening to in footage later released by Loveland police.

Garner was taken to a holding facility at the Loveland Police Department, where she complained multiple occasions about having accidents, CBS Denver reported. She was allegedly pressured to sit in a holding cell with out medical attention for hours, even after Hopp, Jalali and one other employees have been heard on security footage acknowledging that she might have injuries.

After a short investigation, Hopp resigned from the Loveland Police Department, as did Jalali. Each had been arrested and charged with crimes associated to Garner's arrest.

As first reported by CBS Denver, the Larimer County District Attorney's Office elected to maneuver ahead with a plea settlement in opposition to the will of the Garner family. The family felt the video within the case proved Hopp was guilty on all counts beyond a reasonable doubt.