Public Complaint No. 1720677221 - 1900567261

Marco Conradi
800 South Victoria Avenue
Ventura, California 93009

Date of Offense

June 16, 2024

Statement

At the time I was sitting in my car in the center median for no more than 2 minutes with my hazards on. After two minutes passed, officer Conradi pulled behind initiating a traffic stop. He came up to the vehicle and didn't do the professional courtesy of introducing himself he instantly begun to question me, which I responded after giving my legal documents (id, registration and proof of insurance) — “ I'm sorry officer I will not be answering any questions” then he continued to question and intimidate me so I stated “I invoke my 5th amendment right to remain silent”. He looked at me confused and began to intimidate me more and said “you are on a traffic stop legally you have to identify yourself to me and answer my questions” so out of fear of being arrested from that point forward I answer all of his questions. Even though my constitutional right to remain silent was violated. After running my information since I was nervous — shaking and stuttering my words. The officer began dui testing, even though i told him “I am autistic and neurodivergent I get shaky and stutter when I am nervous” he didn't seem to sympathize with that at all. This was WHILE I was in my vehicle with a pen test to see if my eyes were studdery. I failed the first two times, but this was from my (neurodivergence and autism) that I made very clear to him at the start of the stop. Before I got dui tested once he came back after running my information (it was in order) I was nervous. I was on the phone with my mom and he forced me to get off the phone and told me “this is a part of growing up” and “you are 18 right.” He then proceeded to ask me to get out of the vehicle and then go to a sidewalk knowing of my disabilities and that this was the first time I have been pulled over. He then called for backup (he refused to pen test before two other cops arrived) and pen tested me again, which I passed with flying colors (the officer acknowledged this to a fellow officer on the scene while they were talking). I was then detained for about 8 minutes after my testing while these officers figured out what to do. In fact I saw one of them walking around my vehicle trying to dig for something to detain me for even though I had already proved my innocence. While in this detainment I made it known to one of the officers on scene that I want a supervisor since I felt “ harassed and unsafe and my rights were violated” and was denied since “it was not a valid enough reason to request a supervisor.” Throughout all of this he continued to single me out and tell me “if your disabilities interfere with your ability to drive, get off the road.” Overall these factors given my mental health conditions and the 5th amendment rights violation that occurred. Made this stop unlawful, and ultimately made it unreasonably extended since there was anger towards me for trying to invoke my 5th amendment right.

Location

East Wilbur Road, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA

34.1861242, -118.8714351