Bakery truck driver latest to receive a Denver police payout

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The driver of a bakery goods truck who Denver police crashed into head-first will receive a $350,000 payday from the city.

The settlement to Christopher Cordova appears on the consent agenda of Monday’s City Council meeting. Items are the consent calendar are considered routine and generally pass in a block vote. However, council members Shontel Lewis and Sarah Parady regularly call out the settlements to draw attention to them.

According to CBS News Colorado, Denver Police Officer Jacob Marsh crashed into Cordova at a speed of approximately 75 mph in April 2021. The crash occurred on Quebec Street. According to Cordova, Marsh had not activated his lights or sirens. The posted speed limit in the area was 45 mph, CBS News Colorado reported.

Cordova told the media after the crash that he held no ill will toward the officer. Later, when he approached the city for a settlement, they did not take him seriously, Cordova told CBS News Colorado. That is when he filed a lawsuit in Denver District Court.

Last month, alleged police misconduct cost Denver $100,000 in a settlement to a homeless activist and her husband who said police harassed them in a parking lot. The city also paid out $75,000 two weeks ago to a man hit in the face by police.

Police payouts aplenty

In June, the council awarded $500,000 in police and sheriff’s department settlements. The first, stemming from a lawsuit filed against the police department in U.S. District Court, case 2023 CV00750-RM-JPO, was for $100,000. The second settlement was for $400,000 to be paid to Scott Peters and stems from a prisoner’s civil rights allegedly being violated, according to Justia. According to Justia, the lawsuit lists as defendants the City and County of Denver, Daniel Rodriguez, John Doe 1, John Doe 2, John Doe 3-12, Mohammed Mohammed, Michael Fitzmaurice, James Casias, Billie Humbles, Daniel Trujillo, Ian Schiffhauer, Michael Bennett, Cherif Sarr and Noreen Roberson.

For the police lawsuit in U.S. District Court, case 2023 CV31159, the plaintiff is Lidya Ryans, and the defendants are Grisleit Blanco, Patrick Smith, and Christopher Brown.

Police settlements common

Police lawsuit settlements have become commonplace in Denver. In March, the council paid $20,000 to a man who alleged police falsely handcuffed him. In February, the council paid out $55,000 in settlements. In October, the council awarded $1.6 million to people injured in the summer 2020 protests of the death of George Floyd. In September, the council paid out more than $1.3 million in police settlements. A week earlier, Denver had paid out $1.1 million. In August, Denver paid out $4.7 million to people it had arrested for curfew during protests. In July, the city settled two lawsuits against the police department for $305,000. In May, Denver paid $135,000 to settle two claims against the police department. In April, the city paid a man $350,000 after he claimed Denver police violated his rectum with a police baton. In March, the city settled half a dozen lawsuits totaling $1.6 million.