Lawsuit leads to city payout for UNM football player

Today’s post was shared by The Workers’ Injury Law & Advocacy Group and comes from krqe.com

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A UNM Lobo quarterback is getting a nice payout for his troubles with the Albuquerque Police Department. Football player David Vega sued APD in a false arrest case, saying the whole ordeal was humiliating, and cost him a lot of playing time.

The case involved two officers going into a home without a warrant. Not only did the case cost the city money, it may have also cost a cop his job.

A year-and-a-half after Vega was arrested for underage drinking and concealing his identity because he wouldn’t give his name, Vega’s lawsuit against APD and the city has led to a hefty payout. KRQE News 13 has learned it’s $45,000.

“He’s a young kid who just wants to play football,” said Diego Esquibel, Vega’s Attorney.

Vega’s attorney said the case against his client should have never even happened.

Lapel cam from former APD officer, Yoki Maurx, shows police going into Vega’s home without a warrant after police said a stolen iPhone’s GPS led them there.

“I think that guy may have alcohol poisoning, I’m serious,” Maurx is heard saying on a lapel recording. Vega’s attorney claims the officers laughed about that after seeing vomit outside the house, and used it as an emergency excuse to go inside.

“But if you watch the lapel camera, there’s no, there’s nothing that’s done to show that they actually care about the health,” said Esquibel….

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