Calif. County Settles for $17M Over Violent Traffic Stop

Solano County, California, has agreed to pay $17 million to settle a lawsuit brought by a woman and her father over a violent roadside encounter with sheriff’s deputies in 2020. Attorneys for the family say the payout is among the largest of its kind in the state.

The case centered on deputies Dalton McCampbell and Lisa McDowell, who were accused of using excessive force against 32-year-old Nakia Porter. According to court filings, Porter was dragged from her car, slammed to the ground, and knocked unconscious while her two young daughters and 3-year-old niece looked on.

The incident took place in August 2020, when Porter, her father, and the children had pulled over near Dixon to switch drivers on their way back to Sacramento from Oakland. Deputies approached the vehicle with guns drawn, citing mismatched license plates. Body camera and dashcam footage shows Porter being detained and forced to the ground within moments of the encounter. She was later jailed for six hours, though prosecutors declined to pursue any charges.

Porter has said she feared for her children’s safety during the incident. The lawsuit also alleged deputies misrepresented her actions and attempted to cover up their conduct, with involvement by then-supervisor Sgt. Roy Stockton. McCampbell has previously faced another excessive-force lawsuit and was involved in a fatal shooting in 2023, while McDowell has since been promoted to sergeant.

Following the settlement, Porter and her attorneys expressed hope that the outcome will drive meaningful reform. “This cannot happen again—to anyone,” she said.

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