The Gearinger Law Group is pleased to congratulate Brian Gearinger and the Schwaiger Law Firm on securing a $1.95 million civil rights settlement in a federal case against the City of Sebastopol and three Sebastopol police officers.
The case arose from a July 24, 2024 incident involving Jeffrey Callaghan, a Type 1 diabetic who suffered a medical emergency while driving his six-year-old daughter. As reported by The Press Democrat and the Sebastopol Times, the responding officer initially treated the incident as a suspected DUI, but Callaghan was actually suffering from a diabetic emergency.
The lawsuit alleged excessive force, wrongful arrest, unlawful detention, false arrest, and other civil rights violations. According to The Press Democrat, Callaghan alleged that he was tased, injured while being handcuffed, kept in custody despite medical confirmation of his condition, and later booked into jail even though blood testing showed no alcohol in his system. The Sonoma County District Attorney declined to file charges. The City of Sebastopol in a press release claimed that it “entered into this settlement to avoid costly attorney’s fees.”
This result reflects the importance of enforcing civil rights and holding public entities accountable when they violate the civil rights of their citizens. The Gearinger Law Group congratulates Brian Gearinger and Izaak Schwaiger on this significant settlement and for their relentless advocacy for Mr. Callaghan and his daughter.
Additional coverage of the settlement is available from the Sebastopol Times and The Press Democrat:
