Post by shoreman on Sept 20, 2006 7:48:00 GMT -5
Police Storm into Wrong House
Monday, September 18, 2006 Posted: 07:11 PM
www.newschannel5.tv/2006/9/18/28736/-Police-Storm-into-Wrong-House-
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Wrong Man Nearly Arrested
Man says officers put him in a choke hold
BROWNSVILLE - A case of mistaken identity turns a Brownsville family's world upside down.
Lupe Cuellar and his wife Pilar were startled at 1:30 in the morning by a knocking at their door.
The men at the door said they were cops, but Lupe wasn't sure. He said he'd heard about some burglaries in the neighborhood.
He told his wife to call police. She called 911.
Pilar says the 911 operator told her, "We got a call that your husband was beating you."
The officers tried to kick down the door. She told her husband it was the police and he opened the door.
Lupe says the police officer put him in a choke hold, dragged him to the kitchen, and threw him on the floor.
He said officers asked him why he didn't open the door and Lupe says he tried to explain he didn't know who they were.
Lupe's wife and kids watched officers cuff him and haul him outside in nothing but his underwear.
"It's really embarrassing. I feel like a criminal," he says.
Pilar says she pleaded with the police.
"My husband doesn't abuse me," she says, "He doesn't beat me."
Pilar says, "I couldn't believe this was going on."
The police quickly realized there was no domestic violence at this house.
"They looked at me and said, 'Yeah, you're alright.' And they took off," Lupe recalls.
He went to a hospital, where a nurse called police to report what happened. A sergeant showed up and told the Cuellars' what had happened.
"He told me the dispatcher gave police the wrong address," says Lupe.
The real domestic violence call was two houses down. Officers arrested another man for assault. Lupe says his daughter is now frightened by police.
NEWSCHANNEL 5 tried to talk to the Brownsville police chief. We're told he's gathering information and will comment tomorrow.
The department is reportedly investigating the incident.
Monday, September 18, 2006 Posted: 07:11 PM
www.newschannel5.tv/2006/9/18/28736/-Police-Storm-into-Wrong-House-
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Wrong Man Nearly Arrested
Man says officers put him in a choke hold
BROWNSVILLE - A case of mistaken identity turns a Brownsville family's world upside down.
Lupe Cuellar and his wife Pilar were startled at 1:30 in the morning by a knocking at their door.
The men at the door said they were cops, but Lupe wasn't sure. He said he'd heard about some burglaries in the neighborhood.
He told his wife to call police. She called 911.
Pilar says the 911 operator told her, "We got a call that your husband was beating you."
The officers tried to kick down the door. She told her husband it was the police and he opened the door.
Lupe says the police officer put him in a choke hold, dragged him to the kitchen, and threw him on the floor.
He said officers asked him why he didn't open the door and Lupe says he tried to explain he didn't know who they were.
Lupe's wife and kids watched officers cuff him and haul him outside in nothing but his underwear.
"It's really embarrassing. I feel like a criminal," he says.
Pilar says she pleaded with the police.
"My husband doesn't abuse me," she says, "He doesn't beat me."
Pilar says, "I couldn't believe this was going on."
The police quickly realized there was no domestic violence at this house.
"They looked at me and said, 'Yeah, you're alright.' And they took off," Lupe recalls.
He went to a hospital, where a nurse called police to report what happened. A sergeant showed up and told the Cuellars' what had happened.
"He told me the dispatcher gave police the wrong address," says Lupe.
The real domestic violence call was two houses down. Officers arrested another man for assault. Lupe says his daughter is now frightened by police.
NEWSCHANNEL 5 tried to talk to the Brownsville police chief. We're told he's gathering information and will comment tomorrow.
The department is reportedly investigating the incident.