A typo by San Francisco police led to a violent arrest of an innocent driver, officials say

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Set us as preferred Two officers with the San Francisco Police Department spotted what they thought was a stolen car being driven through the city on July 4, 2024.At a red light, one officer rushed out of the patrol car, smashed the driver’s-side window and pulled the driver to the ground.One officer then pepper-sprayed the driver in the face as another put him in handcuffs.

But the officers had entered the wrong license plate into their computer and didn’t realize their mistake until after the driver, Matthew Ludwig, was in handcuffs, urging them to call an ambulance because he couldn’t breathe, according to an investigation by the San Francisco Department of Police Accountability.The civilian oversight group said Monday it found that the officers used unnecessary force and violated police policies in the violent arrest.

“Nothing justifies the amount of violence that SFPD officers used on Mr.Ludwig, especially when it stemmed from their own mistake,” said Brian Cox, head of the San Francisco public defender’s office Integrity Unit.

“This case shows how easily police can wrongfully target someone, unnecessarily escalate an encounter, and take away that person’s freedom.”According to the watchdog group, officers sought charges against Ludwig even after they realized the mistake, booking him on charges of reckless driving and resisting arrest.The charges were pending until Ludwig died in an apparent suicide last year, according to authorities.

California A theft suspect died, and two San Francisco police officers suffered injuries after being run over by an SUV during an attempted arrest in Nob Hill.According to the oversight group, the incident occurred at about 11:30 p.m.when officers spotted Ludwig’s car and entered the wrong plate.

They followed Ludwig along O’Farrell Street and, at a red light, pol...