San Francisco police used excessive force in arrest caused by typo

A report by the San Francisco Department of Police Accountability has found that two San Francisco police officers used excessive force during a July 4, 2024, arrest caused by a clerical error. Officers Jonathan Zepeda and Vinesh Govindbhai mistakenly entered an incorrect license plate number, leading them to believe Matthew Ludwig was driving a stolen vehicle.

Body-camera footage reveals that the officers did not use lights or sirens to signal a stop before one officer smashed Ludwig’s car window with a baton and pulled him to the ground. While Ludwig was on the ground, an officer discharged pepper spray inches from his face. Despite realizing the license plate error, officers proceeded to book Ludwig on charges of reckless driving and resisting arrest.

The San Francisco Public Defender’s Office stated that the violence used was unjustified, noting that the encounter escalated due to the officers' own mistake. The charges against Ludwig remained pending until his death by apparent suicide last year.