OXNARD : Boy, 17, Files Police Brutality Claim

A teen-ager who claims he was beaten by an Oxnard police officer while attending a Mexican Independence Day celebration earlier this month has filed a $5,000 claim for damages against the city.

The claim, filed Sept. 18 by Peter Guzman, 17, is the latest of at least 15 lawsuits and claims filed in the last year, seeking damages against the city for alleged police brutality.

By law, a person cannot file a lawsuit against a government agency until he has filed a claim that has been rejected by that agency.

In an interview Thursday, Guzman said he has received a letter from the Police Department telling him the internal affairs division will investigate his complaint.

Assistant Police Chief William Cady said the department routinely investigates complaints filed against the police. He declined to discuss the incident because it may become a matter of litigation.

Guzman, a student at Oxnard High School, alleges that he was beaten by an unidentified officer as he was leaving the Fiestas Patrias celebration at Plaza Park on Sept. 16.

Guzman said he and several friends were watching the event when a fight erupted nearby. He said he went to watch the scuffle but was told by a police officer to leave the park.

“He kicked us out for no reason,” Guzman said. “I was mad. I was talking back to him because he had no reason to kick us out.”

Guzman alleges that when the officer saw him near the park later, he grabbed Guzman by the hair and slammed his head against a fence post. Guzman said he was taken to the hospital, where four stitches were used to close a gash on his head.