A Vermont man is set to receive a six-figure settlement after suing the state after he was arrested for giving a police officer the middle finger, Seven Days reported.
According to Seven Days, Greg Bombard, then 51, was on his way home to get coffee when he was stopped by Vermont State Police Sergeant Jay Riggen. Dash cam footage of the incident was later released by the state and obtained by FIRE.
“Is there something I can help you with?” an officer was heard asking.
“It looked like you gave me the middle finger as you walked past,” the state trooper continues in the video. (Related: Pacman Jones allegedly taunts police officer, calls him a “cracker”)
According to Seven Days, Bombard claimed he did not give the officer the finger and demonstrated the hand movements he makes when his fingers are on the steering wheel. “This is what I was doing,” he reportedly said while mimicking the movements.
Riggen can be heard claiming that Bombard gave him the middle finger, to which Bombard responded, “You're really sensitive.”
The two men apparently got into an argument over the matter, with Riggen heard claiming he stopped Bombard to “make sure he was OK.”
The driver can be heard saying he plans to file a complaint with the officer about the traffic stop and citation. After the incident, Bombard can be heard saying he actually gave Riggen the middle finger as he drove off. According to the officer, Bombard called Riggen a “dummy” and yelled, “Fuck you!”
“I'm going to arrest him for misdemeanor,” Riggen said. Officers then arrested Bombard, according to the video.
According to Seven Days, the case against Bombard was dropped nearly a year after he hired an attorney.
The state settled with Bombard in June for $175,000, according to Seven Days. Bombard's attorney, Jay Diaz, was reported to have been pleased with the development. “The foundation of a free society should be measured by whether or not you are allowed to speak to public officials,” Diaz said, according to the outlet.
