Delaware woman claims she was mistakenly stopped and assaulted by undercover officers
WILMINGTON, Del. - A Delaware woman is suing Delaware State Police after she claims she was mistakenly identified and assaulted by a group of undercover officers last month in New Castle County.
Martiayna Watson, 20, says she was leaving the BP Gas station on South Herald Street in Wilmington on June 24 when four unmarked patrol cars surrounded her vehicle. One of the cars, Watson claims, rear-ended her car during the ambush.
Four officers emerged from their cars with their guns drawn and screamed orders at Watson, according to her account of the story. Watson claims she was dragged from the car and had a taser put to her neck, Attorney Emeka Igwe said.
Delaware State Police said the officers were searching for a dark gray Nissan Maxima with two robbery suspects inside. Watson was driving a light gray Nissan Altima at the time of the incident.
Upon learning that Watson was not the person they were looking for, Watson claims an officer still smashed the back driver's side window of her car. She said officers piled back into their vehicles and left without giving an apology or an explanation.
"I can’t even drive without thinking somethings going to happen to me. Like, someone’s gonna pull me over, I’m steady looking at every vehicle with dark tint, like is this an undercover, like who’s this, I gotta watch my back, I’m so scared," Watson said.
Igwe said Watson has refused Delaware State Police's offer to pay for the damages done to her car and a monetary sum less than $10k.
FOX 29 reached out to the Delaware State Police and the Delaware Attorney General's Office and did not receive a response.
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