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Video shows Cal Poly police pinning man during disputed arrest

March 13, 2017

Many Cal Poly students are enraged over footage showing university police pinning a 21-year-old man to the ground outside a San Luis Obispo liquor store. Friends of the suspect allege an undercover officer placed him in a chokehold and tackled him because the man told the policeman to “fuck off.”

The incident took place Friday night outside a liquor store on Foothill Boulevard. Initial reports indicate, at the time, university police officers were conducting a sting or an operation related to underage drinking.

Julian Trevizo, a friend of the suspect, witnessed the incident and videotaped the arrest, beginning at the moment police officers were pinning his friend, Aidan Dugan-Colton, 21.

Trevizo stated in a Facebook post that his group of friends purchased beer at a liquor store. After buying his own beer, Trevizo put the bottles in his jacket pockets, prompting undercover officer to suspect a theft was in progress.

“An undercover cop accused us of shoplifting, asked for our receipts and IDs and detained us,” Trevizo wrote. “They then threatened to cite us because we had people in the group who were 20, despite the fact that they did not purchase alcohol or exit the building with bottles in their possession.

“Our friend started calling bullshit and told them how not okay their actions were. Another individual came up and said, ‘Watch your fucking language. Watch your fucking attitude.’ Friend responded, ‘Fuck you, don’t touch me’ and put his arm up in defense. Right after this, the officer put him in an illegal chokehold and brought him to the ground, scraping his face and arms.”

The officer did not identify himself as a policeman until after tackling Dugan-Culton, Trevizo wrote.

Throughout the video, individuals are heard accusing police of tackling Dugan-Culton and arresting him merely because he uttered foul language at the plainclothes officers.

“I didn’t touch you. I said fuck you. And then you pushed me and you fucking tackled me to the ground,” Dugan-Culton said.

The officer disagreed, claiming Dugan-Culton shoved him.

“I didn’t push. I have it on camera,” the officer is heard saying during Trevizo’s recording.

Cal Poly spokesman Matt Lazier told the Tribune that officers needed to safely subdue Dugan-Culton after he shoved one of them and failed to comply with their directions. Lazier also said the officers identified themselves as police prior to the physical altercation.

Officers eventually booked Dugan-Culton into the San Luis Obispo County Jail. He is no longer in custody.

According to Trevizo, police charged Dugan-Culton with assaulting an officer and set his bail at $20,000. Trevizo also alleged officers refused to read Dugan-Culton his Miranda rights during the arrest.

Dugan-Culton reportedly suffered a bloody nose during the altercation. Before he was taken to jail, a fire truck arrived at the scene.

The arrival of the fire truck prompted screams about wasted tax dollars.


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San Louie, You seem to have fairly harsh view towards the police and fire department. I can only assume you have never had to call on their services. As a friend of a firefighter I thought I should tell you that it’s comments like yours that truly affect them in a very negative way. They are human. Their jobs have policies and procedures. They are constantly questioned in the public eye rather than being supported. I understand you can have your opinion, but please know your aggressive and negative comments are hurting the people that have sworn their lives to protect citizens like yourself. Perhaps your concerns are better directed towards city department heads instead of random posts on cal coast. I bet if you walked down to a police station or fire station the men and women there would welcome you in and help you understand things or do their best to answer any questions you have about their jobs or equipment they use. Thanks for at least trying to not be so negative.


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If the perp had simply complied with LEO requests, there would be no issue…


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Trevizo also alleged officers refused to read Dugan-Culton his Miranda rights during the arrest.

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Irrelevant. Only applies to in-custodyl interrogations. Not an issue here.


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According to Trevizo, police charged Dugan-Culton with assaulting an officer and set his bail at $20,000.

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20k bail over this? That’s absurd.


The kid should have been released on OR.


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You mean Jesus WOULD put someone in choke hold?


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No he would call the police and they will do the “choke hold”


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“I’m sorry Officer, I paid for it, here’s my receipt” would have saved a lot of trouble. What ever happened to simple civility?


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While he shouldn’t mouthn off like that, I too would be quite frustrated with some imbecile instigating some bullshit like they had here. Profiling people and then acting on it doesn’t always go your way. These cops must have a pretty thin skin if they can’t handle some name calling. Everyone in this video needs to check themselves


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Cops are human and they have a job to do. If you were to go on a ride along for one night your viewpoint would change; I guarantee it. Police work is just that….work, it’s as imperfect as anything else. They do the best they can so having young people resist the requests of officers only makes things worse. Escalation!


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Yeah I’ll pass.

All cops do when they drive around is profile people. They wait for stuff to happen, and all that anxiety finally bursts out when get to unleash their power of authority. I bet those cronies were foaming at the mouth watching those kids walk out that store, like “yes here it comes!”

Since it was an undercover officer in plain clothes, I’d be pretty pissed too if some random person accosted me like that. Especially when I haven’t broken any laws. Mouthing off wasn’t the best response by that kid but hey, first amendment rights!


As for them being humans, yes your correct. Humans have the awesome ability of choosing what kind of work they can do. These narcs in the video know the job is dangerous when they take it. If they can’t handle someone cussing at them, they need to either grow a pair or find a different line of work.


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At least the little punk was white. Had he not been, this simple arrest would have really gotten blown out of proportion.


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Well SanLouie, as a truck driver… what do you expect them to do? Throw out a parachute to slow down, or better yet maybe they can have a guy throw out a grappling hook with a rope when they’re close to their destination. Wait a minute, I’ve got it! How about they get a cable car setup like San Francisco and have a guy yank on a few levers while doing his bell routine. I’m sure that would piss you off too. I’ve got a Jake brake on my dump truck too, and I use it to slow my rig down without burning up the brakes, just like every other truck driver in the country.


As far as the cops, bummer deal kid. I don’t agree with a military state where you can be detained for anything, but that being said… I’d sure like to have seen the whole interaction rather than just the tail end of it before judging the guys that are getting killed and beat down.


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They could use the brakes on their vehicles!! Jake brakes (compression releases) were of value when braking technology and materials were nothing like they are today. You could hear jake brakes all day and all night if you lived near Cuesta Grade. Not anymore. Great advances have been made.


I don’t know if you’re ignorant or intentionally lying about “burning out brakes” in 2017?


The only place I hear obnoxious jake brakes today is on SLOFD trucks. I wonder if they do it to be rude or to bring attention. I have actually heard them being applied while the trucks were going UP a hill.


Disgusting.


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