Teen Slammed by Cop Files Lawsuit Over Injuries

An 18-year-old woman, Erin Cowser, has initiated a civil rights lawsuit against the city of San Bernardino and its police department. She alleges excessive force and a cover-up after being body-slammed by an officer on May 21, 2025. Cowser was 17 at the time of the incident, which occurred outside a Food 4 Less store.

Cellphone video captured the moment an officer detained Cowser, who was partially handcuffed, and then slammed her face-first onto the concrete. The lawsuit states this resulted in a traumatic brain injury with memory loss, a dislocated wrist, back injuries, and permanent facial scarring from a deep laceration. Attorneys assert that officers delayed medical care despite visible head trauma.

Despite video evidence, the San Bernardino Police Department initially claimed the takedown was necessary because Cowser was resisting detention. The lawsuit alleges officers falsely attributed Cowser's injuries to other juveniles and maintained this false narrative internally and to her family. Even after an officer admitted to lying during an internal investigation, the department allegedly concealed the truth from the public.

Cowser, who has since experienced daily headaches and pain, stated she was terrified and confused after the event. The charges initially filed against her were eventually dropped. Her legal team emphasizes that the lawsuit seeks accountability for the alleged violence and dishonesty, aiming to end a culture where such actions are excused.