Woman punched by CHP officer arrested again on same freeway
Marlene Pinnock, left, with her attorney, Caree Harper, during an August interview in Los Angeles.
A woman captured on video last year being punched repeatedly by a California Highway Patrol officer on the 10 Freeway was arrested Tuesday and taken in for a mental health evaluation after she ventured into traffic on the same stretch of roadway, CHP officials said.
Marlene Pinnock, who received a $1.5-million settlement after the controversial incident in 2014, was taken into custody about 2:25 a.m. after two officers found her wandering on the right shoulder of the eastbound 10 Freeway near La Brea Avenue, Sgt. Joe Nunez said.
Pinnock has long struggled with mental illness.
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When CHP officers tried to detain her, Pinnock “pulled away and ran into traffic lanes,” according to an incident report provided to The Times. Officers removed Pinnock from the freeway.
“After further evaluation, Ms. Pinnock” was taken to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center for “mental health evaluation and treatment,” Nunez said.
Pinnock was taken in under the 5150 welfare and institutions code that allows for a person to be detained for mental health evaluation.
Pinnock’s arrest comes as the Los Angeles district attorney’s office is still deciding whether to charge Daniel Andrew in the July 1, 2014 incident.
As part of the $1.5-million settlement, Andrew agreed to resign his position as a CHP officer. The money from the settlement was allotted to a special needs trust for Pinnock.
The investigation into Andrew began after video of the encounter shot by a passing motorist was posted online. The uniformed CHP officer can be seen punching Pinnock at least nine times as she was pinned to the ground.
The CHP initially said Andrew was trying to keep Pinnock from walking into traffic, but that she ignored his commands and became “physically combative.”
Pinnock has said she did nothing to provoke the officer. She said she was walking to a place to sleep when Andrew came up behind her and threw her on the ground.
To follow Southern California crime, follow me @lacrimes
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