Veteran Gets $250k Payout After He Was Arrested For Handicap Parking

A disabled U.S. Marines veteran has won a $250,000 payout after a national park ranger allegedly beat him and arrested him for parking in a handicapped reserved spot.

Sgt. Dominic Esquibel, who suffers a damaged right arm and partially shattered right leg and foot, was allegedly aggressively handled, kicked, and arrested after he parked in the handicapped spot at the Sequoia National Park in California in 2012, and rangers didn't believe he was disabled.

The San Diego veteran sued the Department of Interior and the National Park Service for assault, false arrest, and false imprisonment for the incident and the case was scheduled to go to trial last week in U.S. District Court, but was recently settled.

'He feels vindicated and he is glad this is over,' Esquibel's lawyer said to the Washington Post.

Disabled U.S. Marines veteran Sgt. Dominic Esquibel won a $250,000 settlement from the U.S. government after a national park ranger allegedly used excessive force and arrested him over the use of a handicapped parking space at Sequoia National Park in 2012

'He was having trouble sleeping and his condition was getting worse,' he added on the veteran who served in Afghanistan and was awarded the Navy Cross for heroism during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

On December 22, 2012, Esquibel was visiting Sequoia National Park with his family. He parked in a nearby handicap space, despite the long lines at the park, so that he could use the restroom.

A park employee yelled at him saying, 'You can't park there'. When Esquibel said he was disabled the employee replied saying, 'I can see that you're not', the lawsuit states.

That employee then called two rangers onto the scene. One of them was Ranger Parrack, who demanded Esquibel show his handicapped driver's license, which he didn't have because he didn't require any adaptive equipment.

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Esquibel served in Afghanistan and was awarded the Navy Cross for heroism during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He suffered major injuries to his right leg, arm and foot in the war

After Esquibel parked in a handicap spot on December 22, 2012, he was approached by a park ranger who threatened to throw him to the ground and didn't believe he was disabled. In that confrontation the ranger kicked his legs and pulled up his pant to see proof of his leg brace (above)

Parrack then allegedly threatened Esquibel, saying he'd throw him to the ground and order him to be arrested.

Then things turned physical and Parrack grabbed Esquibel's scarred arm, inflicting pain upon the veteran as his wife watched. Parrack proceeded to kick Esquibel's feet to separate his legs as the veteran shouted that his leg. Feet were injured from his time fighting in Afghanistan.

'I'm combat wounded, and you're kicking my salvaged limb,' Esquibel told Parrack.

Parrack pulled up Esquibel's jeans to see the brace.

It's unclear whether Parrack or any other park staffers at Sequoia National Park (above) were disciplined over the incident

'I told my wife to remove herself and get in the car so at least there would be a witness to hold him accountable,' Esquibel said.

When Esquibel offered to show his paperwork for his handicap placard, Ranger Parrak refused to listen and forcibly arrested him instead, as per the lawsuit.

Parrack arrested him and issued a citation for 'failure to follow a lawful order', according to court documents. Esquibel was later released. The charge was dropped in 2014.

Esquibel pursued the lawsuit because he didn't want the arrest on his record and wanted to clear his name.

It's unclear whether Parrack or any other park staffers were disciplined over the incident.

'It is my hope that this will prompt other law enforcement to think twice before repeating the same missteps and causing further misfortune for others with disabilities,' Esquibel said.