Christopher Todd Brown v. M. Soto
Opinion
Trial Court Opinion
I. BACKGROUND
25 Shortly after midnight on July 24, 2021, Plaintiff Christopher Todd Brown 26 (“Brown”) was pulled over by Defendants California Highway Patrol (“CHP”) Officer 27 (“FAC”) ¶ 13–14. One of the CHP officers asked Brown if he had been drinking and 1 Brown told the officer he had drank beer within the previous two hours. Id. ¶ 15. Brown 2 was asked to perform several field sobriety tests (FSTs) which, he alleges, he did without 3 incident. Id. ¶ 16. Brown alleges that after completing several FSTs, he requested a 4 Sergeant be called to the scene and Officer Soto attempted to dissuade him from calling a 5 Sergeant. Brown further alleges that Officers Soto and English then assaulted him, 6 including grabbing and throwing him to the ground “without any legal justification.” Id. 7 ¶ 17. 8 Brown was arrested, and the police report prepared by Officer Soto 9 recommended Brown be charged with driving under the influence, driving with blood alcohol of 0.08% or greater, lack of insurance, and delaying, obstructing or resisting arrest, as well as with enhancements for refusing a chemical test and driving with blood 13 …