A man who was viciously beaten over a year ago by three plainclothes San Francisco Police Department officers for riding his bicycle on the sidewalk is now suing the city and the officers involved, reports Courthouse News Service.
Back on November 15, 2013 around 3:30 p.m., D'Prince "DJ" Williams was riding back to his Valencia Gardens apartment in the Mission from the 'Batkid' event when he was accosted by three plainclothes SFPD policemen for apparently riding his bicycle on the sidewalk. At that point, Williams had already entered his home. The ensuing melee, as SFist earlier reported, turned ugly and escalated, leading to neighbors and even more police officers joining in on the fray and multiple videos shot. The officers named in the suit are Gregory Skaug, Milen Banegas and Theodore Polovina, and the complaint alleges none of them identified themselves as policemen to Williams.
Williams further contends that the narcotics officers asked him to leave his home, which he says they had no right to do, pulled him out when he refused, and beat him unconscious. Video was taken of the incident by bystanders, although none has surfaced that shows the inciting incident. According Williams' friend Travis Jensen, surveillance footage from cameras in the Valencia Gardens complex exists showing what happened though it has yet to be released.
The then-21-year old City College student and employee was arrested and later taken to the hospital, suffering a broken jaw as a result of the fight. Williams faced up to five criminal charges but the district attorney's office later dropped all charges.
