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

Almost two years after violently arresting a 73-year-old girl with dementia, former Colorado police officer Austin Hopp was sentenced to five years in jail on Thursday as a part of a plea agreement to lessen 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 cost that was punishable by 2 to eight years in prison. That prevented the minimal 10 to 30 or extra years in prison he would have confronted with a trial and conviction.

Hopp first encountered Garner after being dispatched to a report of an attempted theft at a Loveland Walmart, based on CBS Denver. Garner, who has dementia, allegedly tried to steal less than $15 worth of products from the shop. When confronted by Walmart workers, she returned the items and walked out of the shop.

Body digital camera footage from Hopp confirmed the officer approaching Garner as she walked house. Carrying a wildflower in her hand, she didn't adjust to a number of 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 stated. An audible pop is heard on the camera, one thing Hopp acknowledged hearing in footage later launched by Loveland police.

Garner was taken to a holding facility at the Loveland Police Division, where she complained a number of times about having accidents, CBS Denver reported. She was allegedly pressured to take a seat in a holding cell without medical attention for hours, even after Hopp, Jalali and one other workers have been heard on safety footage acknowledging that she may have injuries.

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

As first reported by CBS Denver, the Larimer County District Legal professional's Workplace elected to move ahead with a plea agreement towards the will of the Garner household. The family felt the video in the case proved Hopp was guilty on all counts past an affordable doubt.