Witnesses Allege Brutality in Weho Deputies' Arrest of Man on Meth

Witnesses to a West Hollywood Sheriff’s takedown last month say deputies went too far in subduing an intoxicated suspect, and are alleging police brutality in an arrest that they say ended with the man's head being smashed against the fender of a sheriff's car.

deputies responded to a report of a man wandering in and out of traffic along Santa Monica Boulevard between Laurel and Hayworth, creating a traffic hazard, on April 16.

Several deputies and a sergeant arrived at the scene around 7 p.m. as a  restaurant employee allegedly attempted to restrain the man in a headlock for his own safety, according to an arrest report from the West Hollywood Sheriff's Station. Deputies say the suspect, Daniel Dubiel, 27, broke free.

Dubiel, who admitted during questioning that he was "delusional" and under the influence of methamphetamines, continued to fight off deputies. After deploying a Taser twice, they were able to handcuff Dubiel, who remained resistant. Dubiel was later charged with a felony of resisting a peace officer.

During the fight with deputies, Dubiel lost consciousness, according to the report. He was then transported to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after being treated by L.A. County Fire Engine No. 8. But witnesses say much more happened between Dubiel being handcuffed and his being treated at the hospital.

Weho resident Marne Carmean and her son were walking to catch the bus to go to the 99 Cent Store. Arriving on the scene just after the paramedics left, Carmean said at least five sheriff’s cars were there. Some deputies had blocked eastbound traffic on Santa Monica Boulevard, she said, diverting it north onto Crescent Heights.

When Carmean asked what was going on, onlookers filled her in, pointing to a dent on the side fender of one of the patrol cars. “It was a crater the size of a basketball,” Carmean said. “I was 35 feet away, and I could still see how big that dent was. I can only imagine what kind of force they had to use to create that dent.”

Witnesses say there was a lot of force. One woman, who was filling up her gas tank at the nearby , told Patch deputies dragged the handcuffed Dubiel across the street to a patrol car parked in front of the gas station as he continued to struggle.

A parking lot attendant said deputies shoved Dubiel against the car several times. The witness at the 76 Station said a deputy kicked Dubiel in the back several times. When that did not subdue him, she said that deputies grabbed Dubiel’s head and tried to bang it into the tire on the patrol car’s front driver’s side. However, Dubiel ended up hitting the side fender of the patrol car instead, she said.

“It sounded like a car crash,” she said. “They hit him so hard. If they had hit him any harder, it would have broken the headlight.” The impact with the fender, she said, knocked Dubiel out.

Paramedics arrived shortly after that. The parking lot attendant said they had to use electroshock paddles on the man, but that did not revive him. The witness at the 76 Station said that Dubiel seemed to be unconscious when the ambulance pulled away. “That boy had to be in a coma or dead,” she said.

One commenter on the Weho Daily website, who allegedly witnessed the incident, said, “I think they beat the man literally to death.” Another poster on that site said, “I was there too, and I think it’s amazing that the deputies showed the restraint that they did.”

Capt. Kelley Fraser, who is in charge of the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station, told Weho Patch that she had no knowledge of her deputies trying to smash the man’s head against the tire or fender. However, she did say sometimes force is necessary.

“If it is something aggressive, our use of force is what is deemed by law,” Fraser said. “You have to use what force is reasonable and necessary.”

Fraser reports that the station is conducting a full investigation, noting that any incident using force requires a full investigation. She also says Internal Affairs has been notified. Witnesses with information to report can call the Weho Sheriff's Station at 310-855-8850.