HALLANDALE BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A Hallandale Beach man whose beating by two police officers during his arrest on Wednesday was caught on camera is sharing his side of the story, as he considers whether or not to file a lawsuit against the mayor and the city.
Daniel Dunkelberger, who spoke with 7News from his home, Monday evening, is recovering from the wounds he sustained from the police beating that took place just around the corner from his family’s residence.
“I have lumps over here,” he said as he showed 7News Taser and baton marks. “I have stitches here from them beating me in the knee.”
Dunkelberger, 27, said he is also healing emotionally from taking several baton whacks during a burglary arrest along the 900 block of Hallandale Beach Boulevard.
Cellphone video rolled as a crowd of witnesses yelled for the pair of officers, since identified as Jaime Cerna and Richard Allen, to stop hitting the man.
“Yo! He didn’t do anything! Stop [expletive] hitting him!” a witness is heard screaming in the video.
Dunkelberger has watched the video. When asked what was the first thing that came to his mind, he replied, “Half of it I don’t remember.”
He pointed out that the audio from the video clip picks up one of the baton whacks.
“You hear them clock in my head,” he said. “After that it’s like a blur, and I’m screaming.”
Dunkelberger was taken into custody for allegedly stealing a cellphone and charger from a car, but when asked whether he stole these items, he replied, “No.”
He was charged with burglary and resisting arrest, but the video from the incident has led Allen and Cerna to be placed on leave pending an internal affairs investigation.
On Monday, Dunkelberger’s attorney, Ronald Guralnick, said he will sue if the City of Hallandale Beach does not pay $2 million to his client.
“They should be prosecuted for aggravated battery with a weapon,” said Guralnick.
The attorney indicated Dunkelberger cooperated with the law enforcers, handing them the cellphone they accused him of stealing. That moment was also recorded by a surveillance camera.
Hallandale Beach City Manager Roger Carlton said the incident remains under investigation, and there won’t be anything else said about it for the time being.
As for Dunkelberger, he has one question he would like the police department to answer.
“How can you beat somebody when they are already down?” he said.
Dunkelberger is wearing an ankle monitor. He is currently on house arrest and is unable to leave unless approved by his parole officer.
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