California's Solano County has agreed to a $17 million payout to a woman and her father, concluding a lawsuit over a violent 2020 roadside encounter with sheriff's deputies. The settlement, described by the family's attorney as among the largest in California for this type of case, follows allegations that deputies Dalton McCampbell and Lisa McDowell used excessive force, dragging Nakia Porter from her car and slamming her to the ground, knocking her unconscious in front of her young children, per the Vallejo Sun.
The incident occurred in August 2020 as Porter, then 32; her father; her two daughters, ages 4 and 6; and her 3-year-old niece were returning to Sacramento from Oakland and stopped near Dixon to switch drivers, per KTVU. Deputies, citing mismatched license plates, approached with guns drawn. Body camera and dashcam footage shows that within seconds, deputies decided to detain Porter, handcuff her, and force her to the ground. Porter, who the AP notes is Black, lost consciousness after her head was pushed into the asphalt. She was later jailed for six hours and recommended for charges that were never filed.
Porter said she feared for her children as the violence unfolded. The suit also claims the deputies misrepresented Porter's actions and sought to cover up their conduct, with alleged involvement by then-supervisor Sgt. Roy Stockton, per the Sun. McCampbell previously faced another excessive-force lawsuit and was involved in a fatal shooting in 2023; McDowell has since been promoted to sergeant. Porter and her legal team hope the settlement prompts real reform, with Porter saying, "This cannot happen again—to anyone."
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