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Pismo Beach police officer describes assault, wants justice

July 15, 2024

By KAREN VELIE

A violent burglar smashed a Pismo Beach police officer’s head into a wall causing disabling injuries and later also injured the police chief. Even so, the assailant is unlikely to spend more than six month in jail for his crimes.

Initially charged with seven crimes, San Luis Obispo County prosecutors offered to drop five counts against Shawn DeLaittre as part of a plea agreement that includes a one year jail sentence and three years felony probation. DeLaittre then pleaded guilty to battery on a police officer, taking a weapon from a police officer and burglary – a strike offense.

With Christmas around the corner, downtown bike patrol officer Erin Logoluso went into work early on Dec. 23, 2022 in an attempt to free up other officers during the holiday. When a call came in regarding a burglary at the SeaCrest Oceanfront Hotel, Logoluso headed to the hotel even though it was 12 minutes before her shift started.

During her investigation, Logoluso learned a burglar had broken into a guest’s room and stolen a laptop computer and a cell phone. The robber had also defecated on a towel and smeared feces in the area.

A hotel manager came to the room and asked Logoluso to assist with a man who was asking guests to hand their room keys at an outdoor dining area while claiming he was one of the hotel’s owners.

Logoluso recognized the 6 foot 5 inch tall DeLaittre as the suspect in a previous shoplifting incident. She also noted a heavy smell of feces and knew he was likely the burglar of the SeaCrest.

Concerned with the number of people in the dining area, Logoluso approached DeLaittre and touched the back of his arm. Delaittre forced the 5 foot 3 inches tall officer into a choke hold and then violently choked, punched and scratched feces into her face.

DeLaittre’s hand moved across the officer’s holster, but she had forgotten her gun at the department. He then pulled her over to the outside of the building where he bashed her head against the stucco wall.

Logoluso, a 12-year veteran officer, kicked Delaittre’s knee knocking him and herself to the ground. She then grabbed her Taser gun and searched for a permitted area to shoot. While on his stomach, DeLaittre attempted to take the Taser from Lagoluso. He pulled the Taser under his body while they both held on tightly to the weapon.

Police Chief Jeff Smith was on the beach with his family when he heard the ruckus.

“Erin, it is me Jeff,” Smith said before attempting to get control over one of DeLaittre’s arms.

A manager at the hotel also attempted to free Logoluso from the suspect’s grip.

Eventually. Logoluso gained control of the Taser which she used to subdue the suspect.

After backup arrived, it took multiple officers to get DeLaittre into cuffs and booked into the San Luis Obispo County Jail. Several hours later, DeLaittre bailed out of jail.

Because of her injuries, which include damage to her spine and brain, Logoluso is on disability retirement.

“I had been told I was suffering extended concussion symptoms, and this would resolve with time,” Logoluso wrote the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office. “In August, I had an evaluation with a neurosurgeon due to my prolonged symptoms. After reviewing an MRI of my brain, he advised me I have damage to the left temporal lobe of my brain.”

A year after the incident, Smith underwent surgery on his hand for an injury he suffered during the skirmish.

Even though SLO County Probation recommended DeLaittre receive a prison sentence of five years and four months, Deputy District Attorney Julie Antos recommended a year in jail as part of a plea agreement, a sentence Logoluso argues is not justice.

“Your mission statement claims to fairly and aggressively prosecute crime but that is far from what I have experienced,” Logoluso wrote in a formal complaint she sent District Attorney Dan Don on May 29. “I am in the process of asking the judge to throw out a plea deal that’s completely disrespectful in comparison to the injuries I sustained attempting to apprehend the defendant in this case.”

In support of Antos’ plea agreement, Dow notes that Logoluso violated policy when she forgot her gun. Dow also argues the incident could have been avoided if Logoluso had called for backup before engaging the suspect.

Logoluso believes if she had not forgotten her gun, she or a civilian could have been killed.

DeLaittre’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 24.

 


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There must be more to this story, there has to be a reason why the DAs’ office recommended a year in jail. People have received more time for assaulting a K9.

Seems obvious if it goes to trial DeLaittre may walk or they wouldn’t make that offer, we may never know.


23

Stats, it’s all about the stats. You don’t make the playoffs with a loosing record. A plea deal you get a win without having to step up to the plate.


20

Hope the judge sentences him to prison not jail.


21

If accurate, the events described in this attack on Pismo Beach Police bike patrol officer Erin Logoluso story are disturbing, to say the least. Officer Logoluso has every right to criticize this inapropriate plea deal, and those who attack our law enforcement officers DO NOT deserve soft-on-crime sentences.


In fairness to SLO County District Attorney Dan Dow, he should be allowed to respond on this site. Who made the decision to offer this dangerous criminal a plea bargain? On what basis was such a plea made?


As taxpaying citizens, we deserve transparency in all that our government does, and this case is no exception. We need to hear from you, Mr. Dow.


66

“If accurate” is a very, very big if. Cops lie (exaggerate, mischaracterize, omit, deny) so much nowadays, one doesn’t really ever know the truth. She “touched the back of his arm” could mean anything, and frankly sounds like a minimization (read spin) of her actions. (e.g. Nowadays a cop picking someone up and throwing them to the ground is often described as “escorting them to the ground”.) A cop with no gun and no backup does seem a little suspicious. If she forgot her gun maybe she also forgot her body camera and believes there is no video. Maybe there is video. Maybe Dow has seen the video. There is so much about this that we don’t know, I don’t see how any conclusion can be reached. Clarification from Dow might help us understand, but such explanation would likely be spun the other direction.


3

Law and order includes longer sentences and quicker justice… stop voting for people who appoint soft on crime people or don’t complain when this happens to you or someone you love….


54

“stop voting for people who appoint soft on crime people”


This is the way, for example soft on crime Colombian-born Aileen Mercedes Cannon.


-12

THE DA and a judge LET this man out on BAIL. LOCAL DA AND JUDGE.


49

And then Dow blames the victim for being assaulted. Sickening. But Ian Parkinson can kill a kid in the jail strapped to a chair naked because Ian is a male?


9

This is Dan Dow making these calls to make a plea, the Dow is totally in charge of this, and probably wants to Not compensate these officers for anything. People need to drop politics and look at humans as humans; not race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation. The DA makes over 300grand a year. The guy Stokes political flames to make us fight. Fk Dow. He’s literally a rich Lawyer playing chess in court with zero ethics. Our legal system, is completely ruined from the supreme Court down to even local courts. Sick people pick and choose law with impunity unless you petition state Congress to impeach local Judges and DAs. They literally are immune and it would take years to ever hold them accountable for anything they’ve done wrong.


21

This is the DA dropping charges. Not the Gov, etc, This is the DA agreeing to a plea deal to most likely offset costs to the county. People really need to Realize the DA is ALL LOCAL LAW Enforcements attorney and the counties. Cities have their own Psychopaths; excuse me, Attorneys.


24

So, according to Dow, this officer was at fault here and even though the perp basically tried to kill her, he gets a sweet plea deal. We must vote Dow out of this office next time. He is totally incompetent and a blowhard to boot.


49

it’s not Dow, but nearly all the rest of the DA office, who are bent left when it comes to justice. Having personally dealt with 3 DDA’s, who all wanted full prosecution and punishment, my last Judge (out of 6 over the more than 3 year time line of the litigation) saw through their plan, and decided my traffic violation (yes, a simple traffic violation) was not even CLOSE to any level of punishment asked for.


Keep in mind, this was when Dan was on “double secret probation” from the DA office. I spoke to him about my case, seeing as he could not have any ingluence over it, and he was flabbergasted that it even went court, much less an impending trial.


So, no, this Pismo debacle would be NOT according to Dan Dow.


0

So Dow has no idea what his deputy attorneys are doing? Seems even more evidence that he is incompetent.


13

From the article:


In support of Antos’ plea agreement, Dow notes that Logoluso violated policy when she forgot her gun. Dow also argues the incident could have been avoided if Logoluso had called for backup before engaging the suspect.




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