Shasta Lake,Calif (KRCR) – Sierra Lawler was with her friends hanging out on Gregory Beach along Shasta Lake when they had a brush with the law. She says the officers were just thanking them for cleaning up.
Chad Krogstad, a Patrol Captain with the US Forest Service has a different story. “We thanked a lot of people over the weekend for that very thing. In this specific instance the officers did not do that. They asked them to clean it up,” said Krogstad.
After the encounter, officers found evidence of a controlled substance. Lawler said it was a marijuana pipe, and the person it belonged to owned up to it. Lawler added that one of her friends was simply shutting the car door because they were getting ready to leave. But Krogstad said officers were stopped from searching the car.
Krogstad said, “There was at least one strike to an officer.”
Lawler believes officers took it too far by using excessive force. She said the officers did not have to slam her friend against the car or shove him to the ground. Lawler added she was terrified and afraid her friends were going to get seriously hurt.
On the other side, Krogstad feels the officers were not only justified, but actually held back. Krogstad said given the circumstances, officers used a lot of discretion and did what they needed to do to make an arrest.
All four of the individuals were charged with obstructing an officer. Two of them were also charged with assaulting an officer.
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