A family is suing a Salem police officer and the city of Salem for nearly $1 million, claiming the officer used excessive force when he grabbed a woman by the throat while responding to an accidental 911 call.

Angela Hernandez and her two adult children, Angel Hernandez and Josefina Valdez, filed a lawsuit against Salem police officer John Diaz and the city of Salem on Nov. 14 over a 2024 incident. The suit, filed in Marion County Circuit Court, also accuses other Salem police officers of assaulting Angel Hernandez during the response.

The family is seeking $900,000 in non-economic damages for emotional and mental distress, and $50,000 in economic damages for medical bills and lost wages, according to the lawsuit. The Statesman Journal first reported on the suit.

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