FULLERTON, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Officer Rock Wagner, a Laguna Beach police officer, has filed a lawsuit alleging a number of civil rights violations by the Fullerton Police department, including defamation and false arrest.
Wagner was arrested by Fullerton police near his Lake Forest home on November 28th of last year on suspicion of elder abuse and fraud. His sister, Wendy Wagner and her boyfriend, James McBride (also plaintiffs in the lawsuit), were also falsely arrested. After the arrests, the Orange County District Attorney's office declined to file charges in the case, finding a lack of evidence to support such charges, and finding that no crime had been committed. Rock Wagner, a 26-year law enforcement veteran, also was cleared by an internal Laguna Beach Police Department investigation and has since returned to patrol.
Attorney Gary Casselman of Casselman Law, who represents the plaintiffs in the case, said that Fullerton PD rushed to produce public statements and circulated Wagner’s arrest mugshot and that of his sister and boyfriend to the media, boasting of its “thorough investigation,” but made no attempt to announce the fact that the case was quickly thrown out when it became evident that no crime had been committed by them.
Wagner had been placed on administrative leave while both the criminal and internal affairs investigations took place. Prosecutors quickly confirmed that, “Our office did not file charges as the investigation revealed a crime did not occur.”
Press Conference
Rock Wagner, Wendy Wagner, James McBride and their attorney Gary Casselman will be addressing media questions about the case and the newly filed lawsuit at a press conference to be held on Tuesday, November 13th at 11:00 am at Ayres Hotel Orange, 200 N. The City Drive, Orange, CA 92868.
(Case no. 30-2018-01031122-CU-CR-CJC)
Media: To RSVP for the press conference, or to arrange interviews, please contact Paul Williams, 310/569-0023, paul@medialinecommunications.com.