A white Vallejo Police Department officer was recorded punching a Black woman in the face after she was involved in a car accident in Vallejo, California, on Oct. 13.
TikTok user Romyr Hamilton was nearby during the arrest and recorded the footage on a cellphone.
The footage captured Ofc. Colin Eaton forcibly removing the woman from her vehicle, slamming her against a cement truck, and punching her when she was on the ground near the 100 block of Admiral Callaghan Lane. The woman was reportedly a shoplifting suspect, according to the Open Vallejo.
Officer Colin Eaton punches a Black woman in the face after she is involved in a car accident in Vallejo, California, on Oct. 13, 2023. (Photo: @romyrhamilton/TikTok)
Eaton is a six-year veteran of the police department and has a history of violent arrests.
“He punched me in my face,” yelled the woman.
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Hamilton shared the video on TikTok, and it went viral. “Once she was on the ground, I think the punch was unnecessary,” said Hamilton. “She was just in a car accident. She’s still a human being. She may be hurt.”
WATCH THE FULL VIDEO HERE.
The woman and another suspect were reportedly taken to the hospital before being brought to the Solano County Jail. The Vallejo Police Department released a statement alleging that the woman was a burglary suspect who had “attempted to flee” and ran a red light, which they said caused the collision.
“The officer tried to pin the suspect against the cement truck, but she resisted and attempted to flee the scene,” read the statement. “The officer conducted a control hold take down to prevent her from running. Once the suspect was on the ground, she continued to actively resist, pivoting her body and gauging the officer’s arm in an attempt to escape, prompting him to strike her once to gain immediate compliance. Thus, the officer was able to detain the suspect.”
The Vallejo Police Department also shared a picture of the merchandise reportedly found in the crashed vehicle.
Eaton has a violent arrest history and has been disciplined for use of force by the department. Eaton was on the scene when he and five other officers shot and killed 20-year-old musician Willie McCoy as he was awakened while sleeping in his vehicle back in 2019. The ex-marine fired 13 of the 55 bullets into McCoy’s car, according to the Vallejo Sun.
On April 19, 2020, Eaton violently arrested a man who was accused of exposing himself. “I will f—k you up,” he said. “Sit down. I will f—k you up.” Eaton was suspended for 80 hours for violating policy by putting his booted foot on the man’s head for more than a minute after he’d been restrained.
“Your foot on the suspect’s head for nearly a minute and a half after he had been restrained violated Vallejo Police Department Policy 300.5 ‘Use of Force,’” read the notice of discipline report.
Eaton also arrested 20-year-old Deyana Jenkins, McCoy’s niece, in 2019 and used a Taser on her, despite her claiming that she did not resist. Jenkins could be heard screaming as her friend cried, “They got my sister on the ground! Oh my God. Deyana, I’m sorry! Help! Somebody help! Help!”
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On Oct. 16, California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit against the city of Vallejo and the Vallejo Police Department at Vallejo City Hall, claiming that the department’s officers regularly violate the constitutional rights of its residents.
“I saw the video. It was disturbing, and it was concerning,” said Bonta. “There will be an opportunity for investigation, review, oversight — also legal accountability, if necessary.”
The city of Vallejo is now subject to a five-year consent decree that will force the department to implement reform.