Cop ignored dying man in back of hot police car, watched TikToks and sent intimate texts instead: lawsuit

An Oregon cop allegedly left a mentally ill man to die in the back of a hot police car while the officer watched TikToks and texted about “snuggles,” according to a lawsuit.Nathan Bradford Smith, 33, died of heat stroke aggravated by meth use during a July 2024 arrest when Coos Bay police officers allegedly left him in a parked patrol car to watch TikToks and send intimate texts instead of getting him medical help, according to a lawsuit filed by Smith’s family Wednesday.The lawsuit blasts the city of Coos Bay, and Officers Benjamin Martin, Tristan Smith, and Wesley O’Connor for ignoring signs of obvious medical distress in Smith, accusing them of negligence and “deliberate interference.”Smith, who had schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, was picked up by cops after multiple police encounters where he was found smoking methamphetamine and later speaking “quickly and incomprehensibly,” according to the lawsuit obtained by The Post.At roughly 5 p.m.on July 7, officers found Smith wearing a heavy coat and rain pants on the ground outside of a Motel 6, the lawsuit detailed.“One of the 911 callers indicated they were concerned for Mr.

Smith’s safety,” according to the lawsuit.“Another caller indicated that Mr.

Smith was on the ground ‘flailing around,'” the lawsuit said.Smith was struggling to breathe as he was handcuffed by Martin, Smith, and O’Connor while still on the ground, according to a state police officer who reviewed the body camera video of the incident.He was barely able to get in the police cruiser, and his eyes were closed as he gasped for air, the lawsuit said.Martin drove to the Coos Bay Police Department, where he parked the cruiser and allegedly left Smith inside the car with the windows up on the 68-degree day while he went into the station, the document stated.While inside the station, the officer responded to a text message that said, “I’m so ready for snuggles I feel like I haven’t seen you in a week,” Oregon L...