Cambisaca v. Ruhe

CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedJuly 3, 2019
Docket7:17-cv-00087
StatusUnknown

This text of Cambisaca v. Ruhe (Cambisaca v. Ruhe) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cambisaca v. Ruhe, (S.D.N.Y. 2019).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK --------------------------------------------------------------X JOSE CAMBISACA, Plaintiff, OPINION AND ORDER -against- 17 Civ. 87(JCM) P.O. CHRISTOPHER RUHE, P.O. MARK RAMPOLLA, AND SGT. JOHN ARNOLD, Defendants. --------------------------------------------------------------X PlaintiffJose Cambisaca(“Plaintiff”)brought this civil rights actionpursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against Defendants Officer Christopher Ruhe, Officer Mark Rampolla and Sergeant John Arnold (“Defendants”).(Docket Nos. 1, 35). Presently before the Court are Defendants’ motions for summary judgment pursuant to Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. (Docket Nos. 53, 58). Plaintiff opposed Defendants’ motions and filed a cross- motion for summary judgment. (Docket Nos. 65, 70). For the reasons set forth below, Defendants’ motions for summary judgment are granted in part and denied in part,and Plaintiff’s cross-motion for summary judgment is denied.1 I. BACKGROUND A. Procedural Background On January 6, 2017, Plaintiff commenced this action against Defendants Ruhe and Rampolla seeking damages pursuant to Section 1983 formalicious prosecution, excessive 1This action is before this Court for all purposes on the consent of the parties, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(c). (Docket No. 18). detention and due process violations. (Docket No. 1). On November 21, 2017, Plaintiff filed an Amended Complaint namingSergeant Arnold as an additional defendant. (Docket No. 35). Following the completion of discovery,Defendants Ruhe and Rampollafiled a motion for summary judgment,(Docket No. 53), accompanied by a memorandum of law,(Docket No. 56), an attorney declarationwithexhibits,(Docket No. 54), andastatement of facts pursuant to Local

Civil Rule 56.1,(Docket No. 55). Defendant Arnold filed a separate motion for summary judgment, (Docket No. 58), a memorandum of law, (Docket No. 61), an attorney declaration withexhibits, (Docket No. 60), anda Rule 56.1statement, (Docket No. 59). Plaintifffiled anoppositionto Defendants’ motions and across-motion for summary judgment, (Docket No. 65), accompanied by a memorandum of law, (Docket No. 66), an attorney declarationwith exhibits, (Docket No. 69), and two counterstatements of facts pursuant to Local Civil Rule 56.1,(Docket Nos. 67, 68). Defendants Ruhe and Rampolla filed a memorandum of law in opposition to Plaintiff’s cross-motion, (Docket No. 70), an additional attorney declaration, (Docket No. 71), and a Rule 56.1 counterstatement, (Docket No. 72).

Defendant Arnold submitted a memorandum of law in opposition to Plaintiff’s cross-motion, (Docket No. 75),2 and a Rule 56.1 counterstatement, (Docket No. 76). Plaintiff filed a reply memorandum of law. (Docket No. 77). B. Facts The following facts are gathered from the parties’ 56.1 statements and counterstatements, the exhibits attached to the parties’ submissions,and the declarations submitted by the parties in support of their contentions.3 The facts are construed in the light most favorable to the non-

2Defendant Arnold submitted a duplicative memorandum of law in opposition to Plaintiff’s cross-motion as a Rule 56.1 counterstatement. (CompareDocket No. 74, withDocket No. 75). This appears to be a filing error. 3All page number citations to the record refer to the ECF page number unless otherwise noted. moving parties ineach motion for summary judgment. Wandering Dago, Inc. v. Destito,879 F.3d 20, 30 (2d Cir. 2018). The facts are not in dispute, unless otherwise noted. i. Accident and Arrest At all relevant times, Sergeant Arnold, Officer Rampolla and Officer Ruhe worked for the Rye Brook Police Department. (Docket No. 67 at ¶¶1–4); (Docket No. 68 at ¶¶1–2). On

March 14, 2014, Sergeant Arnold received a report of a hit-and-run accident near Ellendale Avenue and South Ridge Street while he was working as a desk shift supervisor.(Docket No. 67 at ¶¶ 6–8). Sergeant Arnold learnedthat two individuals fled the scene on foot following the accident,(id. at ¶ 9), and dispatched Officers Ruhe, Rampolla and Asare to the scene, (id.at ¶¶ 10–11). Following this, Sergeant Arnold transmitted by radio a description of the individuals who fled as “two short Hispanic males, one wearing a blue hoodie, the other wearing a vest.” (Id. at ¶ 15). While Officers Ruhe, Rampolla and Asare responded to the sceneof the accident, Sergeant Arnold prepared the blotter report, which documents theofficers’ response to the incident. (Docket No. 67 at ¶¶ 12–14). After Officer Rampolla arrived, bystanders informed him

that the suspects fled behind a building on the corner of Ellendale Avenue and South Ridge Street. (Docket No. 68 at ¶ 9). Officers Rampolla and Asare approached the building and found a male individual near an embankment on the side of the building. (Id. at ¶¶ 10–11). Rye Brook police officers radioed that the individual was wearing a blue jacket. (Docket No. 67 at ¶ 17). The individual, who was later identified as Luis Chabla, appeared intoxicated and had a cut above his eye. (Docket No. 68at ¶¶ 15–16, 18). Chabla did not understand Officer Rampolla’s verbal commands. (Id.at ¶ 14). Anais Salcedo, the victim of the hit-and-run, informed Officer Rampolla that Chablawas a passenger in the vehicle that struck her vehicle. (Id.at ¶ 17). At the time, Salcedo did not provide a description of the driver of the vehicle to Officer Rampolla. (Id. at ¶ 19). At 6:08 p.m., Officer Rampolla announced over the radiothat he detained Chabla, but that they were still looking for the driver of the vehicle. (Docket No. 72at ¶ 134). Sergeant Arnold learned from officers on the scene that the second suspect may have been an individual

named “Aucha Placido” who lived at 67 Poningo Street in Port Chester, New York. (Docket No. 67 at ¶ 19). Sergeant Arnold documented this in his blotter report and requested that a Port Chester police officer respond to that residence. (Id.at ¶¶ 21–22); (Docket No. 60-5). Officer Jonathan Rubin, who worked for the Port Chester Police Department, arrivedon the scene and spoke to Chablain Spanish. (Rubin Dep.4 at 13). Chabla stated that the driver’s name was “Manuel Albarracin.” (Id. at 15–18). Officer Rubin conveyed Chabla’s statements to Rye Brook police officers on the scene. (Id.at 13–15,23–24). Officer Rubin does not recall the names of the officers that were standing with Chabla when he translated Chabla’s statements. (Docket No. 68 at ¶¶ 26–27). The parties dispute whether Officers Ruhe and Rampolla were

present when Officer Rubin translated Chabla’s statement. (Docket No. 68 at ¶¶ 34–44); (Docket No. 72 at ¶¶ 135–40). At 6:34 p.m., Officer Rampolla told Sergeant Arnold over the radio that Officer Rubin spoke Spanish, that they had the name of the second suspect, and that Officer Asare had the spelling of the name. (Docket No. 72 at ¶ 142). However, Officer Asare does not recall receiving any information from Chabla through Officer Rubin. (Asare Dep.5 at 10–12). Sergeant

4Refers to Officer Rubin’sdeposition transcript. (Docket No. 69-6). Citations to deposition transcripts refer to the deposition page rather than the ECF page number. 5Refers to Officer Asare’sdeposition transcript. (Docket No. 69-5). Arnold noted in the blotter report that “Port Chester P.D. advised they have received different info, different name and address, due to passenger speaking Spanish.” (Docket No. 67 at ¶ 26).

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