Gonzalez

BACKGROUND

In June 2007, off-duty deputies Brian Richards and Joshua Titel were involved in an altercation with firefighter Stephen Paige, who was beaten and kicked while lying motionless on the ground. The incident occurred outside the home of off-duty deputy Christy Goodman, who was dating both Paige, the father of her child, and Titel. According to Goodman, during the assault she was physically restrained from intervening by two other off-duty sheriff’s personnel, plaintiff and Julie Petrelli. Plaintiff, who was dating Richards, acknowledged that she had socialized with Richards, Titel, Goodman, and Petrelli earlier that day, but claimed that she and Petrelli had left the location shortly before the fight began. While the matter was under criminal investigation, the department notified plaintiff’s attorney that the one-year limitation period for conducting a disciplinary investigation was tolled under Government Code section 33041 while the criminal action was pending. During the grand jury proceedings, Goodman and plaintiff provided conflicting testimony as to whether plaintiff was present during the assault. After the grand jury returned an indictment against Richards and…