Ex-officer sentenced to 5 years in prison 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 5 years in prison on Thursday as a part of a plea agreement to lessen his jail time. The June 2020 arrest left Karen Garner with a damaged arm, sprained wrist and separated shoulder, CBS Denver reported.

In Larimer County Court in early March, Hopp pleaded guilty to an assault cost that was punishable by 2 to 8 years in jail. That avoided the minimal 10 to 30 or extra years in jail he would have faced with a trial and conviction.

Hopp first encountered Garner after being dispatched to a report of an attempted theft at a Loveland Walmart, in line with CBS Denver. Garner, who has dementia, allegedly tried to steal lower than $15 worth of goods from the shop. When confronted by Walmart staff, she returned the items and walked out of the shop.

Physique digicam footage from Hopp showed the officer approaching Garner as she walked house. Carrying a wildflower in her hand, she did not comply with multiple orders to cease. Hopp is then seen grabbing Garner by the arm and forcefully taking her to the bottom, CBS Denver reported.

As fellow officer Daria Jalali responded to the scene, Hopp allegedly separated Garner's shoulder by forcing her arm behind her back and up near her shoulder blades, CBS Denver mentioned. An audible pop is heard on the camera, one thing Hopp acknowledged hearing in footage later released by Loveland police.

Garner was taken to a holding facility at the Loveland Police Division, the place she complained multiple times about having injuries, CBS Denver reported. She was allegedly compelled to take a seat in a holding cell with out medical attention for hours, even after Hopp, Jalali and another staff have been heard on security footage acknowledging that she might have injuries.

After a short 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 ahead with a plea settlement towards the need of the Garner family. The family felt the video within the case proved Hopp was responsible on all counts beyond an affordable doubt.