Langdale Vallotton, LLP would like to congratulate associate Katie Gonos in obtaining a $100,000.00 settlement in a wrongful arrest case against a local police department. Katie’s client was in his yard after work when he noticed several police cars pass by en route to his neighbor’s house. The police were responding to a 911 call describing a black man armed with a gun who was allegedly making threats. The man was further described as having dreadlocks and driving a red truck. The only similarity between Katie’s client and the person described was his race — the client did not have dreadlocks, he did not have a red truck, and he did not have a gun. Nevertheless, when the police officers did not find a suspect at the neighbor’s home, they proceeded to the client’s home and forcibly arrested him. During the arrest, the officers realized that they had the wrong person, but, instead of apologizing and releasing him, they charged him with Obstruction of a Law Enforcement Officer. Katie represented him on the criminal Obstruction charge, obtaining a dismissal. She (along with co-counsel James Smith) then pursued certain civil claims, including a federal § 1983 claim, against the local police department, which claims were resolved by the above-referenced $100,000 settlement.