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

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

In Larimer County Court docket in early March, Hopp pleaded responsible to an assault charge that was punishable by 2 to eight years in jail. That avoided the minimal 10 to 30 or extra years in jail he would have confronted with a trial and conviction.

Hopp first encountered Garner after being dispatched to a report of an tried theft at a Loveland Walmart, in response to CBS Denver. Garner, who has dementia, allegedly tried to steal less than $15 worth of goods from the store. When confronted by Walmart workers, she returned the gadgets and walked out of the store.

Physique digital camera footage from Hopp confirmed the officer approaching Garner as she walked home. Carrying a wildflower in her hand, she failed to adjust to multiple orders to cease. Hopp is then seen grabbing Garner by the arm and forcefully taking her to the ground, CBS Denver reported.

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

Garner was taken to a holding facility on the Loveland Police Division, the place she complained a number of occasions about having injuries, CBS Denver reported. She was allegedly compelled to sit down in a holding cell without medical consideration for hours, even after Hopp, Jalali and another workers were heard on security footage acknowledging that she may have injuries.

After a brief investigation, Hopp resigned from the Loveland Police Division, as did Jalali. Each have been arrested and charged with crimes related to Garner's arrest.

As first reported by CBS Denver, the Larimer County District Lawyer's Office elected to maneuver forward with a plea settlement in opposition to the need of the Garner household. The household felt the video within the case proved Hopp was responsible on all counts beyond an affordable doubt.