An incident involving a wrongful arrest by an Adams County sheriff’s deputy has resulted in a settlement of $80,000. According to Denver attorneys, the deputy arrested a man for recording him during a traffic stop and gathering information for a complaint about his driving.
The man, Barry Zatkalik, a former reserve officer for the Denver Police Department, observed the deputy speeding past him on U.S. 85 without lights or sirens activated on Feb. 5, 2024. Zatkalik began recording the traffic stop from a distance, and when the deputy approached him, he requested the deputy’s name and badge number for the purpose of filing a complaint.
Despite not being stopped by the deputy, Zatkalik was asked to provide his license, registration, and proof of insurance, which he refused to do. The deputy then proceeded to arrest him under the guise of obstruction, even though filming police officers from a distance and requesting their information is not illegal.
After the arrest, it was determined that there was no probable cause for the arrest, and the deputy admitted that it was weak. The Adams County settled the case with Zatkalik and his attorneys before a lawsuit was filed.
Zatkalik emphasized the importance of asserting his rights and holding the officer accountable for violating the law. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office did not provide a comment on the matter.
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