West Jordan woman accuses police of assault

WEST JORDAN — A woman filed a complaint Monday against the city of West Jordan and a number of police officers employed by the city, alleging the officers attacked her without cause.

Deborah Adams names West Jordan, police officers Matt Gregersen and Steven Colunga and 10 "John Doe" officers as parties in the complaint and accuses them all of negligence for failing to "properly train, supervise and control" the officers as employees of the city. She states that her Ninth and 14th amendment rights were violated in the alleged attack and asks that she be awarded damages and the cost of her attorney's fees.

The complaint states that police were called to the woman's home after a neighbor called police to complain about dust and noise caused by the woman's son, who was riding an all-terrain vehicle.

Three police officers were at the home when the woman returned, the complaint states, and asked her to show them her ID. The woman said she then argued with an officer, who warned her that she would be cited if she didn't produce identification.

The complaint states that Colunga responded to the woman's statement by grabbing the woman's arm, twisting her around so that she was facing away from him and then "repeatedly and forcefully" slamming the woman against a fence post. She said the officers then "joined in the attack, slamming (Adams') head and torso into the post."

Adams said she sustained a number of injuries from the alleged assault, including temporary traumatic amnesia, "constant" neck pain and headaches.

The case was initially filed in state court but was refiled in federal court because it regards an alleged federal rights violation.

— Emiley Morgan