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Granby resident Carlos Galindo urges county to review arrest, threatens federal suit
Summary
At the May 20 meeting a resident and East Grand School Board candidate, Carlos Galindo, said he was wrongfully arrested while recording a traffic stop and asked the county to review the case; he signaled intent to file a federal civil-rights lawsuit if prosecution proceeds.
Carlos Galindo, a Grand County resident and candidate for the East Grand School Board, used the public-comment period on May 20 to say he was arrested last October by Deputy Mathis while recording a traffic stop from public land.
Galindo told commissioners he remained on public property, did not obstruct or interfere, and that body-camera footage contradicted the deputy's report that he was yelling and interfering. "The body cam footage contradicts what the deputy reported to his supervisor. He claimed I was yelling and instructing the driver not to comply. That's false and the video proves it," Galindo said.
Galindo said the county has a pattern of protecting officers while prosecuting people who document police activity. He said that if the case goes to trial he will pursue a federal civil-rights lawsuit seeking $1,000,000 or more against the county, the sheriff's office and the officers involved, but added that his primary goal is county review and accountability.
Why it matters: the speaker asked the board to review the matter with the county attorney and to consider whether to permit the district attorney to proceed; he framed the issue as one of public accountability and the exercise of protected First Amendment activity.
No formal board action was taken during the public-comment period; the comment was entered into the public record.
