Thread: Manassas woman alleges police discrimination

Manassas woman alleges police discrimination
February 4, 2009 - 5:42pm


Agueda Dominguez has been in the United States legally for 11 years, and has a work permit and driver's license. (Hank Silverberg/WTOP Photo) Hank Silverberg, WTOP Radio

MANASSAS PARK, Va. - A routine traffic stop has sparked a complaint of police discrimination in a community where tensions are already high over immigration.

On Monday night, a Manassas Park Police officer pulled over 38-year-old Agueda Dominguez at the intersection of Mathis Avenue and Manassas Drive in Manassas Park - not far from where Dominguez lives and works.

At the time, Dominguez was on her way to a meeting with a mortgage broker who was helping to save her house from foreclosure.

The mother of three and immigrant from El Salvador has had financial trouble since her husband died several years ago.

Dominguez has been in the United States legally for 11 years, and has a work permit and driver's license.

But when she was pulled over, Dominguez - who doesn't speak English - did not have her driver's license with her. Dominguez says she gave the officer her green card and social security card.

Speaking through an interpreter, Dominguez tells WTOP the trouble began when the police officer tried to give her a ticket for a burned out headlight on her used Isuzu Trooper.

"I told him I wanted someone speaking in Spanish before I signed [the ticket] because I didn't know what I was being pulled over for," says Dominguez, who still has bruises on her face and arms.

Dominguez refused to sign the ticket.

"By the third time he told me to get out - I hadn't gotten out because I was scared - he sprayed me with pepper spray," Dominguez says.

Dominguez says the officer kicked her and pulled her hair, then handcuffed and arrested her for resisting arrest. She was taken to a local hospital and treated for facial injures.

On Tuesday, a judge released Dominguez until a future court date, noting she had a clean driving record.

Speaking at a convenience store near where the incident took place, some of Dominguez's friends say her arrest was a clear case of discrimination.

Dominguez plans to file a formal complaint after consulting a lawyer.

Police would not comment on the specifics of the case. Manassas Park Police Maj. Mark Matthews says an internal probe is underway.

The officer - whom Channel 7 has identified as Lt. Rupert Prinz - was also injured in the incident, Matthews says.

Virginia state law requires an officer to arrest anyone who refuses to sign a ticket.

(Copyright 2009 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Hank Silverberg, WTOP Radio

MANASSAS PARK, Va. - A routine traffic stop has sparked a complaint of police discrimination in a community where tensions are already high over immigration.

On Monday night, a Manassas Park Police officer pulled over 38-year-old Agueda Dominguez at the intersection of Mathis Avenue and Manassas Drive in Manassas Park - not far from where Dominguez lives and works.

At the time, Dominguez was on her way to a meeting with a mortgage broker who was helping to save her house from foreclosure.

The mother of three and immigrant from El Salvador has had financial trouble since her husband died several years ago.

Dominguez has been in the United States legally for 11 years, and has a work permit and driver's license.

But when she was pulled over, Dominguez - who doesn't speak English - did not have her driver's license with her. Dominguez says she gave the officer her green card and social security card.

Speaking through an interpreter, Dominguez tells WTOP the trouble began when the police officer tried to give her a ticket for a burned out headlight on her used Isuzu Trooper.

"I told him I wanted someone speaking in Spanish before I signed [the ticket] because I didn't know what I was being pulled over for," says Dominguez, who still has bruises on her face and arms.

Dominguez refused to sign the ticket.

"By the third time he told me to get out - I hadn't gotten out because I was scared - he sprayed me with pepper spray," Dominguez says.

Dominguez says the officer kicked her and pulled her hair, then handcuffed and arrested her for resisting arrest. She was taken to a local hospital and treated for facial injures.

On Tuesday, a judge released Dominguez until a future court date, noting she had a clean driving record.

Speaking at a convenience store near where the incident took place, some of Dominguez's friends say her arrest was a clear case of discrimination.

Dominguez plans to file a formal complaint after consulting a lawyer.

Police would not comment on the specifics of the case. Manassas Park Police Maj. Mark Matthews says an internal probe is underway.

The officer - whom Channel 7 has identified as Lt. Rupert Prinz - was also injured in the incident, Matthews says.

Virginia state law requires an officer to arrest anyone who refuses to sign a ticket.

(Copyright 2009 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=25&sid=1593302

The laws in these United States state that you must carry your Drivers License with you if you drive...why is that so hard to abide by????
11 years here and doesn't speak English?????????

"I told him I wanted someone speaking in Spanish before I signed [the ticket] because I didn't know what I was being pulled over for,"

In Spanish or English? What's next? Will every law enforcement agency be required to have translators on call just for situations like this?

Speaking at a convenience store near where the incident took place, some of Dominguez's friends say her arrest was a clear case of discrimination.

What a load of BS! Eleven years here and she doesn't understand ANY English? Resisting cops, and I'll bet she had a snotty attitude too boot. Any sane person knows YOU DO NOT PISS OFF COPS! Guess she figures she has NO blame in this matter? And how convenient... she left her license at home. I don't know maybe it's just me, but if I lived in an area such as this I would be carrying every piece of ID that identifies me as a LEGAL citizen.

Another article on this one:

I find it interesting that she's busy shopping her story around to "several media outlets"



By JONATHAN HUNLEY



jhunley@insidenova.com
Published: February 4, 2009

Manassas Park police plan an internal investigation into a Salvadoran immigrant's claim that an officer assaulted her Monday.


Agueda Dominguez told several media outlets Wednesday that she was beaten by Lt. Rupert Prinz during a traffic stop about 6:30 p.m. at the Apex Mart at the corner of Manassas Drive and Mathis Avenue in the city.


The 38-year-old did not immediately respond to the News & Messenger's request for an interview, but she told WJLA-TV that she was stopped for having a broken headlight. She did not have her driver's license, but she said she gave Prinz her Social Security card and work permit.


In a statement Wednesday, Manassas Park police said Dominguez was charged with having defective equipment on her car, not possessing a driver's license, and resisting arrest after she refused to sign a traffic summons.


Dominguez said she didn't sign the ticket because she can't understand English. She said she was pepper-sprayed and thrown to the ground, according to WJLA.


"As he was pulling me against his car, he pulled my hair ... at the same time, I banged my head a couple of times against his car," Dominguez told WJLA through a translator. "He threw me on the ground and banged me against the ground."


Television footage showed cuts and bruises on Dominguez's arms, leg and face. Manassas Park's statement said that "the officer and the suspect sustained minor injuries" during the traffic stop.


Dominguez was treated at Prince William Hospital and released, police said, and she is due in court March 12.


It was unclear Wednesday night if she had filed an official complaint of police brutality with Manassas Park.


Staff writer Jonathan Hunley can be reached at 703-369-5738.


www.insidenova.com/isn/news/crime/artic ... ult/29264/ -

At the time, Dominguez was on her way to a meeting with a mortgage broker who was helping to save her house from foreclosure.

The mother of three and immigrant from El Salvador has had financial trouble since her husband died several years ago.

when the police officer tried to give her a ticket for a burned out headlight on her used Isuzu Trooper

OMG.....could they be anymore obvious in setting up the sob story angle on this one?

I know this will sound callous......and I couldn't care less.....but things are just tough all over and there are millions of other people out there who have found themselves with similar.....and even worse.....hardships and heartaches. But I guess her brand of suffering is supposed to be a special case

But when she was pulled over, Dominguez - who doesn't speak English - did not have her driver's license with her. Dominguez says she gave the officer her green card and social security card.

Any legal driver in this country knows that the three things one must have in possession while driving is their license, registration, and proof of insurance.

Strange how the one time this woman is stopped in 11 years of driving she can't produce the most singularly important piece of ID one carries in their wallet. Yet she manages to produce the two most commonly forged documents an illegal alien uses.

Stranger still is how, while much is made of her allegedly having a license and work permit, not a single word is mentioned as to whether or not she also had registration and proof of insurance.

Odd that this information would be so conspicuously left out of the details when trying to paint a glowing picture of someone as a law abiding citizen

"I told him I wanted someone speaking in Spanish before I signed [the ticket] because I didn't know what I was being pulled over for," says Dominguez, who still has bruises on her face and arms.

"By the third time he told me to get out - I hadn't gotten out because I was scared - he sprayed me with pepper spray," Dominguez says.

Interesting.

She claims she asked for an translator because she doesn't understand English and, evidently, the implication is that the officer does not speak or understand Spanish because otherwise there would not have been need of an translator.

So, if that's the case then I'd like to know just HOW she even knew why she was stopped, what she was asked for, let alone was able to have all of this alleged conversation with the officer and understood that he ordered her out of the car....not just once, but 3 times!!!

On Tuesday, a judge released Dominguez until a future court date, noting she had a clean driving record.

LOL.....all this means is that they couldn't find any violations under the name she's using. It doesn't mean she has a driver's license.

And since when do they release someone who has assaulted a police officer simply because they have a clean driving record?

Dominguez plans to file a formal complaint after consulting a lawyer.

Consulting a lawyer and filing a complaint AFTER she's already made the rounds of sympathetic media to cause public outrage over this incident?

Sorry. But anyone with a legitimate case is going to keep their trap shut see a lawyer and file a complaint first......not go running their mouth to the media.

Sounds more like she's on a fishing expedition for donations to come pouring in to "help this poor woman" and an offer from MP to settle out of court.

Police would not comment on the specifics of the case. Manassas Park Police Maj. Mark Matthews says an internal probe is underway.

Hopefully, there was a dashcam in the patrol car. But, if not, I'm sure there is plenty of footage from security cameras at local businesses which will show what really happened.

The officer - whom Channel 7 has identified as Lt. Rupert Prinz - was also injured in the incident, Matthews says.

Oh I see....the officer got hurt because she WASN'T resisting arrest and fighting with him

Virginia state law requires an officer to arrest anyone who refuses to sign a ticket.

And as a licensed driver, this woman would have known that, now wouldn't she have?




Her whole story just screams "SCAM"

I hope they find out she's illegally here and deport her ass right back to El Salvadore.....right after she's done serving a jail sentence for resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer.

If she would learn the language of the country that is supporting her and followed it's laws this would not be an issue.

Originally Posted by wmarincic

If she would learn the language of the country that is supporting her and followed it's laws this would not be an issue.

BINGO!!! I thought you had to have some sort of English literacy to be a US citizen. Am I wrong?