Dash cam video from Officer Jonathan Granado’s vehicle taken in November 2020 shows how the incident unfolded.
A former Texas police officer is being sued in federal court for allegedly using “excessive force” for hitting a man with his department-issued vehicle.
“He attempted to initiate a traffic stop, and as soon as he did that, the motorcycle accelerated away at a high speed,” Chief J.T. Manoushagian from the Lake Worth Police Department said.
Dash cam video from Officer Jonathan Granado’s vehicle taken in November 2020 shows him following Dustin Bates on a motorcycle.
The motorcyclist lost control of the bike and crashed.
Bates is seen running across the road and into the grass, where the front of Granado’s SUV hits him while going 45 miles per hour, according to police.
Manoushagian said the officer kept hitting the brakes, but because it was wet, he began to slide. And he was still sliding when he struck Bates from behind.
Bates survived the collision but endured a fractured spine, three fractured ribs, and a broken right leg, according to his lawsuit.
Tarrant County criminal court records show Bates was charged with evading arrest and drug possession following this incident. An attorney for Bates says those charges were dropped.
Officer Granado was suspended from work for two weeks, and he was not charged with a crime.
“The grand jury voted to take no criminal action in this case,” Manoushagian said. “There was also an inquiry by the DOJ and the FBI, and they also declined to take action after a review.”
Manoushagian adds that his heart sank when he watched the dash cam footage.
“What I saw on the video is not in keeping with the actions we expect our officers to take,” he noted. “It is an honor and a privilege to serve the public, and we should always do everything in our power to ensure even suspects we pursue are safe.
“In this case, we caused injury to someone, and it was due to the officer’s poor judgment.”
Jonathan Granado resigned from the police force in December 2021.
Dustin Bates, the motorcyclist, has filed this suit directly against Granado, not the police department. He has requested a jury trial and is seeking unspecified damages.
