Documents Reveal Bakersfield Officers’ Account of Viral Alleged Traffic Stop ‘BPD Special’

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Police documents obtained by 17 News reveal more details in the case of the man facing misdemeanor charges following the controversial traffic stop with Bakersfield police officers.

The arrest of Donte Heath, 50, by the BPD circulated on the Internet after he alleged excessive force by the officers, saying the officers broke his elbow and rib during the stop. However, the District Attorney’s Office believed the traffic stop simply told 17 News in a statement that “our office determined the traffic stop was warranted and appropriate action was taken.”

Leaving Heath facing misdemeanor charges and vehicle violations. Police reports show four officers participated in the arrest. In the documents, Officer Michael King said he ordered Heath out of the vehicle. Heath refused, then he broke Heath’s window. Then, King said he “grabbed Heath’s left arm and “escorted him to the ground.”

According to the documents, at the time of the arrest, Heath had “no outstanding warrants or warrants.” However, some officers said Heath was “aggressive and threatening” and that the area of ​​the arrest may have played a role in their actions.

One officer, Officer Noah Morales, said the arrest took place in an “area known for criminal activity.”
Another officer compared the incident to past experiences in which “subjects act in such ways, are involved in criminal activity, may be hiding deadly weapons such as firearms, possess narcotics, or may have warrants unexecuted stoppages”.

Some officers stated that after breaking the window they “escorted Heath to the ground”, while others stated that “the officers decided to force Heath out of the vehicle”, but all agree that “Heath did not comply.”

Heath’s attorney, David Torres, said he was “shocked” and “quite disturbed” Heath was charged with crimes, telling 17 News in a statement, “This is an affront not only to Donte Heath but to our local African American community and it’s none more than the District Attorney covering up the racial profiling of the Bakersfield Police Department.

Heath returns to court in September for his pretrial conference.