.Brutality Cases



The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is investigating the following eight cases:

Rohnert Park Police Officer Jack Shields shot and killed Kuan Chung Kao, 33, outside Kao’s home April 29.

A multi-agency SWAT team threw tear gas into a Rohnert Park apartment, which burst into flames and killed Corey Glenn Goodwin, 36, on Feb. 23. Police say Goodwin had barricaded himself in his apartment and was shooting randomly into the street.

Santa Rosa Police Officer Eric Goldschlag fired three shots and killed Salomón Arambula Hernandez, 28, on Feb. 15 at the Coddingtown Exxon gas station. Hernandez had reportedly forgotten to pay and had returned. The clerk called the police, who say Hernandez attacked the officer with a screwdriver.

On Jan. 2, Sonoma County Sheriff’s Deputy Michael Raasch, after chasing Isan Richard Frost, 33, for failing to make a traffic stop in a Sonoma neighborhood, hit him in the chest with a flashlight, fearing that he was reaching for a weapon. Frost fell into a creek and drowned. He was found the next day.

Sonoma County sheriff’s deputies struggled Sept. 6, 1996, with Dustin Harley Clark, 23, who was under the influence of LSD and meth. Sheriff’s Deputy Joe Quinn squirted pepper spray in Clark’s face. Deputies also struck Clark, set the police dog on him, and hog-tied him. Clark went into a coma and died several hours later. His family claims Clark’s death was a result of too much pepper spray.

Santa Rosa Police Officer Jesse Rangle shot and killed Kevin Saunders, 37, in Santa Rosa on Aug. 29, 1996. Police had responded to a call that Saunders had assaulted his wife and was going to kill himself. Police believed Saunders was reaching for a gun. He was unarmed.

Santa Rosa Police Sgt. James Carlson fired three shots and killed Dale Robbins, 40, inside the lobby of the police station on Jan. 29, 1996. Police say Robbins was wielding a steel bar. A grand jury probe later criticized the internal investigation of the incident.

Santa Rosa Police Officer Norman Stevens killed James Jay Hopper, 37, on April 1, 1995, in Santa Rosa after responding to a call of a fight. Police say Hopper had knocked the officer to the ground and had come at him with a length of pipe.

From the Sept. 17-24, 1997 issue of the Sonoma County Independent.

© Metro Publishing Inc.

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