ACalifornia woman who saysa police dog tore open her scalp has filed a lawsuit, claiming that officers used excessive force by allowing a German Shepard to maul her for several minutes despiteherpleasfor them to call it off.
ThecomplaintfiledonTuesdayalleges that Talmika Bates, then 24, froze in fear as a K9 named Marcochewedon her scalp during her Feb. 10, 2020 shoplifting arrest.
Officer Ryan Rezentesof the Brentwood Police Departmenthad to physically remove the dog‘s grip on Bates‘head after refusing to obeyinstructions.
The entire incident was captured on a police bodycam. Youcanhear Bates’ screams in a field among bushes when the k-9 grabbed her by the scalp and started attacking her.
After a few minutes, Marco let go of Bates as chunks ofherscalpandhairfellon top of her skull.She was abletoclimbout of the busheswithhelpfromthe officers.
My whole brain is bleeding,” a terrified Bates said in the graphic video.
AnattorneyforBatestold The Post that officers‘ only response to his client‘s cries for helpwas that she “shouldn’thave run.”
“Talmika says she still has nightmares of the dog grinding and chewing on her head,” Attorney Patrick Buelna said. “She says that she felt like she was going to die that day and really did not believe she’d live to tell her story but is alive and thankful. She had to have her scalp surgically reattached to her head. She suffers severe depression and remains traumatized from the mauling.”
The incident occurred after she and two other women were caught shoplifting around $10,000 worth of cosmetic products from an Ulta Beauty Supply store. The women fled the scene in a car, but when police attempted to stop them, the suspects jumped out of the vehicle.
According to the complaint, Rezentes and the other responding officers did not warn Bates before the K9 was released.
“Officers Rezentes and Lou yelled at Ms.Bates to stand up, an impossible task, as leaves and twigs scraped against her open head wounds,” according to the complaint. “Eventually, Officer Lou helped Ms. Bates to her feet and placed her in handcuffs. The Officers berated Ms. Bates for running from police as if getting her head bit and mauled by a vicious canine was a lawful and appropriate punishment for her crimes.”
According to Bates and her attorneys, Rezentes attempted to concealdetails of the incident bywriting in a police report that there were no officers present, which causedhim to havedifficultyremoving the dog.
Anotherofficerisseenonvideotelling Rezentes that he will not shoot the dog as it continues to cling to Bates‘ head.
The complaint states that “Officer Rezentes failed to mention Marco was out of control.”
Bates was taken to a local hospital after her arrest, where surgeons reattached her scalp.
Two years after the brutal arrest, Bates said she still experiences migraines, anxiety, and nightmares of the dog chewing her scalp.
“My whole brain almost fell out,” Bates said. “I’m supposed to be dead right now, not alive, and I’m just thankful.
She added she feels “ugly” and “no longer cute” because of her physical wounds. “I get miserable and depressed.”
Marcostill appears prominently onBrentwood Police’sK9 Unit page, which describes the dog ashighly intelligent, very social, and wants everyoneto say hi ifthey see him out and about with Officer Rezentes.