Lawsuit dropped against former Oak Creek mayor
Rodeman claims town should have paid for ambulance ride after Taser incident
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Steamboat Springs — Former Oak Creek Mayor Kathy “Cargo” Rodeman will not have to pay for the ambulance that took her to the hospital after she was shocked with a Taser by an Oak Creek police officer in July 2008.
On Tuesday in Routt County Courthouse, a collection agency representing the city of Steamboat Springs asked the judge to dismiss the lawsuit seeking $710 for ambulance services plus $119.44 in interest.
City Finance Director Deb Hinsvark said the city was advised that because of controversy surrounding the Taser incident, the cost of litigation likely would surpass the amount they thought Rodeman owed.
“I imagine we will write this bill off,” Hinsvark said.
Rodeman on Wednesday said she was happy the lawsuit was dropped because she never felt it was her responsibility to pay the bill. She thought the town of Oak Creek should pay the bill because it is their policy to have a person taken to the hospital after they are shocked with a stun gun.
“I am acutely aware of what the approved policy stated as I was mayor of Oak Creek when it was voted on and passed,” Rodeman wrote in a response to the lawsuit.
The legality of Rodeman getting hit with the stun gun in the first place was called into question and led to Rodeman filing a lawsuit that was settled in April.
Former Oak Creek police Officer Erik Foster used the stun gun and arrested Rodeman on July 19, 2008. Foster has said that he tried to stop Rodeman in her car because she failed to use her turn signal and that she fled into her home. Foster has said he pursued Rodeman into her home and used a Taser to subdue and arrest her because she wasn’t cooperating.
Rodeman was taken to Routt County Jail, where she complained of a headache and severe jaw pain.
“I thought I was having a stroke or something,” she said Wednesday.
A Steamboat Springs Fire Rescue ambulance was called to take her to Yampa Valley Medical Center.
All criminal charges against Rodeman eventually were dropped, and Foster along with then-Oak Creek Police Chief Russ Caterinicchio later resigned.
The lawsuit seeking payment for the ambulance services was filed July 18. Rodeman filed a response to the lawsuit Aug. 30.
“My contention always has been that, by their own policy, this bill should rightfully be paid by the town of Oak Creek,” she wrote.
According to the minutes from the Oct. 12, 2006, Town Board meeting where the updated policy was passed unanimously, the policy was changed to say “police commissioners will be notified as soon as practicable when a Taser is deployed and that the affected party will be transported to the hospital in Steamboat Springs.”
There is no mention of who pays for the ride.
Oak Creek Town Clerk Karen Halterman said Wednesday that the police department never updated the policy to reflect the changes.
Comments
CONative 1 year, 7 months ago
Rodeman admits she was experiencing a headache and severe jaw pain before she was taken on the ambulance to the hospital: “I thought I was having a stroke or something,” she said Wednesday. Yet Steamboat Springs taxpayers are going to pay for her ambulance ride? She wouldn't have been tased in the first place if she hadn't been threatening the officer who went to her home. I personally don't want to pay this woman's bills for her.
mjsinger 1 year, 7 months ago
Although it is redundant to keep reiterating the same points, it seems that CONative still, after all this time, has not read or informed his/herself appropriately involving this matter. If you had, you would have listened to the 911 tapes and watched the vid-mic from Foster and you would know that Cargo did not "threaten" this officer at all. Even Eric Foster said that she was non-combative. Secondly, the town of Oak Creek should be paying the ambulance bill, not the Steamboat Springs Taxpayers, and had the taser policy been followed accurately, the burden would not weigh on the people of Steamboat. I suggest you take up your complaints with the matter to those who are really at fault and stop using Cargo as a scapegoat. The cop who invaded her home and used a deadly weapon inappropriately, the chief of police who tried to cover up the current taser policy, and anyone else who directly violated a policy put in place to make sure that when a potentially deadly weapon is used proper conduct is to follow, these are the people that you should take issue with. Regardless of Cargo's actions, she SHOULD have been transported IMMEDIATELY to the hospital after being tased three times, and after all charges against her being dropped she definitely should not be held accountable in regards to the cost.
Scott Wedel 1 year, 7 months ago
"She wouldn't have been tased in the first place if she hadn't been threatening the officer who went to her home".
I have not heard anyone claim that Cargo threatened Erik before. She said she went inside and called the Sheriff's dept because she felt threatened by Erik.
This case was going to be a mess because for liability reasons according to Oak Creek policy she was supposed to be taken to the hospital after being TASERed. That trip would presumably normally be free via a ride in the police car on the way to jail. So that wasn't followed and she instead has an ambulance called while not feeling well at the jail.
So City of SS gets stuck in court with an easy argument that they are owed money while Cargo and Town of Oak Creek presumably argue the other is responsible.
It is just smart by The City to cut their losses and not get stuck in the middle of an Oak Creek mess. One of the reasons SB is SB and OC is OC is because SB has the good sense to avoid money losing fights.
Scott Wedel 1 year, 7 months ago
well, avoid money losing fights at least some of the time
Cresean Sterne 1 year, 7 months ago
Not using her turn signal? Colorado is one of the worst states for people not using there turn signal. We all know the great excuses the police use to pull people over hopeing to get a DUI. (no turn signal, license plate light out, no front license plate. This only seems to happen at night and never during the day. That is because the police know that you are most likely comeing from one of our 100 and so bars in the county when driving in the evening. They would never pull someone over for not using there blinker during the day. At least I have never seen it. People need to know that if you drive around the county at night even if sober you may get pulled over. I do not condone drinking and you deserve to be arrested for doing so. I do condone entrapment and I believe that alot of times that is whats happening. We are not idiots who live here. We do see what is going on.
Scott Wedel 1 year, 7 months ago
Crash, Well, Cargo kept her driver's license with no restrictions because the DMV hearing officer tossed the Town's case. And DA dropped the case.
In this case, Officer Erik (no longer part of OC police) said he saw Cargo get into her car as she left the bar. So he was following her hoping to find a reason to pull her over. And she was alleged to have missed a turn signal in a pair of quick left then right turns which most vehicles won't switch fast enough to signal for both.
Cargo at the time said she knew she was being targeted and so was driving home extra careful. Erik had a awful reputation for targeting women. And so she called 911 to ask for help from the Sheriff's dept. Think of how crazy that situation was. The "outlaw" calling for interdepartment assistance.
Cresean Sterne 1 year, 7 months ago
Yah Scott... I remember when all this went down. Police cant even take a child into custody these days without tasing them. The 911 tapes speak for themselves. I personaly beleive that since Cargo won her case all bills including fees should come out of the police departments funds or be pd. by the town. Unfortunatly that probably means tax payers. What can we expect when Oak Creek cant seem to get a police force that respects its citizens and is respected by the only 850 people who live there. Even people on horse back have been arrested for trotting there horse home. It's just plain ridiculous!!!
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