Woman Punched by CHP Officer in 2014 in Custody

The July 1, 2014 video of CHP officer punching the woman by the side of a freeway was captured by a passing driver and spread widely on the internet.

The woman who was videotaped by a passing motorist being punched by a California Highway Patrol officer as she wandered along the side of the Santa Monica Freeway in Los Angeles was detained on Tuesday in the same area where the 2014 incident took place, according to a CHP report.

Marlene Pinnock, who settled a lawsuit for $1.5 million in connection with the case, was taken into custody by CHP officers on Tuesday. Unlike the previous arrest, sources said, Tuesday's incident did not involve force and after being taken into custody, Pinnock was subsequently placed on a 72-hour psychiatric hold.

The CHP, not accustomed to the kind of public criticism leveled at agencies like the LAPD and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, drew widespread consternation in the use of force against Pinnock, highlighting law enforcement tactics as they pertained to the mentally ill.

Pinnock's arrest took place a month before a Ferguson police officer shot and killed Michael Brown, which along with other incidents put police around the country under heavy scrutiny regarding use of force.

Pinnock sued the CHP, which settled the case for $1.5 million in September, 2014.

"I feel good about the settlement," Pinnock told KNBC last year. "This chapter can be closed in my life and I can move on."

The officer who employed the force, Daniel Andrew, had two years on the job at the time of the incident. He has reportedly resigned but he could not immediately be reached comment.

In the 2014 video, Andrew is shown standing next to a red pick-up truck on the freeway on-ramp. He makes his way across to a concrete median where he follows a woman who is walking there and is carrying a white bag.

Moments later, he tries to grab the Pinnock's arm as she appears to resist. As he tries to gain control over her, Andrew throws Pinnock to the ground. While Pinnock is on her back, the officer Andrew holds her down delivers about a dozen hits to her head and upper body in about 11 seconds.

As the officer is seen hitting the woman, she appears to be use her arms and hands to shield her head and face. A second man joins the officer to help control the woman so she can be placed in handcuffs.

The CHP said in the 2014 incident that Pinnock walked away from Andrew “while ignoring commands to stop from the officer heading westbound against the flow of traffic into the traffic lanes."

"During the conversation the pedestrian then becomes physically combative at which point the officer is forced to place the pedestrian under arrest in fear of the pedestrian's and officer's safety," the agency said. "A physical altercation ensued as the pedestrian continued to resist arrest at which point a plain clothes, off-duty officer assisted in applying the handcuffs to the pedestrian. When asked if she sustained any injuries, the pedestrian did not advise of any nor where any located by the officers on scene. She was transported to Los Angeles County Medical Center for further evaluation."

The video titled "Police Brutality?" was shot from a vehicle entering Eastbound Interstate 10 near La Brea Avenue. It was posted July 2nd 2014 and runs for 1 minute, 30 seconds and includes footage of the incident in real time and in slow-motion.

KNBC interviewed David Diaz, the man who shot the footage. He is a self-described music producer.

The CHP has added additional training to deal with the mentally ill. See Below

"The CHP's Mental Illness Response Program (MIRP) Unit provides several important areas of instruction to cadets and officers on how to interact with individuals who suffer with mental health issues (mental health consumers).  The techniques and tactics taught are used to assist officers with de-escalation practices when faced with these difficult encounters.  The CHP has created an innovative comprehensive program to ensure our level of service to the public continues to be held to the highest standard in law enforcement.  As a leader in law enforcement training, the CHP has divided the training into several key training phases indicated below:

  • Cadets receive an initial 10 hours of Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) instruction while attending the CHP Academy.  The training covers recognition, response, communication, and how to resolve the situations using de-escalation techniques.  The training is then applied in several scenario-based simulations to allow practical application of the lessons learned.  This training provides a foundation for the cadets on how to recognize and interact with a mental health consumer in crisis.
  • After graduating the CHP Academy, newly promoted officers are assigned to a Field Training and Evaluation Program (FTEP).  During their FTEP training, newly appointed officers are provided an additional 10 hours of area specific CIT training to become familiar with local area resources.  Field Training Officers will also reinforce recognition and de-escalation training.
  • After officers have completed the FTEP program and their first year of patrol experience, they are provided an additional 20 hours of advanced skills in CIT training.  During this training, officers are provided more detailed instruction in how to deal with consumers in a mental health crisis, highlighting de-escalation and safety. 
  • In addition to the eight hour course, a four hour leadership course is provided to CHP Lieutenants and above to ensure that CIT training is directed uniformly in every CHP area office, with emphasis placed on collaboration with advocacy groups and networking to understand local resources and create partnerships.

The CHP continues to lead the way in MIRP training and is actively engaged in a community partnership with law enforcement, mental health providers, advocacy groups, mental health consumers, and family members.  By working together, we are able to better understand and address mental illness, to avert crisis, to de-escalate volatile situations, and to direct the consumer to appropriate care."

Contact Us