Father sues Sacramento after officer allegedly injured son, 16, for violating curfew
A Sacramento father is suing the city for civil rights violations for excessive force after a police officer allegedly slammed his 16-year-old down on the pavement last year for being out past 10 p.m. in violation of the city’s curfew ordinance.
About 9:45 p.m. April 19, 2025, the teen and his two siblings were at Downtown Commons, according to the lawsuit, filed last month in federal court. Police officers on bicycles approached the children and asked where their rides were, telling them it was nearly 10 p.m. and that the area was closed for a private event.
One officer used the teen’s phone to call his father, who said he had ordered an Uber that was waiting nearby, the suit alleged. However, the Uber was not at the designated pickup location, so the children had to take another route to reach it.
As they approached the ride-share, according to court documents, an officer stopped them and said they could not pass because it was now past curfew. As the children tried to walk another way to get to the Uber, an officer grabbed the 16-year-old and slammed him to the ground, causing his nose to bleed, the lawsuit alleged.
The other children called their father, who arrived about 10 minutes later and found the teen in the back seat of a patrol car with his nose still bleeding.
The officers cited the teen for violating curfew and then released him, according to the lawsuit.
Spokespersons for the city and the Sacramento Police Department did not respond to requests for comment Friday on the lawsuit. They also did not provide the names of the officers involved or say whether they had been disciplined.
City code prohibits minors from being out in public between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. unless accompanied by a guardian, with several exceptions. The fine for the first offense is $100 to $250.
“The 16-year-old suffered psychological damage and traumatization,” the suit said. “Because of this incident, (the teen) not only sustained a bloody nose, but he will have life-long trauma from this assault on him by a police officer.”
The lawsuit seeks punitive, general and special damages. It alleges excessive force, false detention, negligence and battery.
