Prosecutors on Monday alleged that a California police officer was caught partying at a music festival and running races while collecting $600,000 in workers’ compensation for a head injury claim.
The Orange County District Attorney’s office charged Westminster, California, police officer Nicole Brown, a 39-year-old woman, with 15 felonies of workers’ compensation and insurance fraud. Brown faces up to 22 years in prison if convicted.
CBS News reported:
Brown was on the job March 21, 2022, when she received a “minor abrasion” to her forehead while trying to arrest an uncooperative suspect, according to prosecutors. She told her watch commander that she had a headache and was feeling dizzy.
Though an emergency room doctor who examined her that day released her back to work without restrictions, she called out sick for several days and was diagnosed with a severe concussion about a week after the initial injury. She was placed on Total Temporary Disability, which made her eligible to receive her full salary for up to a year and two-thirds of her salary after that.
Investigators discovered that during the three days she took sick leave post injury, Brown went to soccer conferences in San Diego, California. The next year, while continuing disability, she reportedly ran two 5K races, went snowboarding or skiing, went to baseball games, played golf, and traveled to Disneyland, on top of completing online courses with a local university.
Brian Gurwitz, an attorney representing Brown, said, “Mrs. Brown suffered a significant head injury when she was on duty.”
Gurwitz added that “she intends to vigorously fight these allegations.”
“Brown’s ongoing complaints were headaches, dizziness, sensitivity to light and noise, problems processing thoughts and words, and an inability to work on the computer or do any screentime,” the prosecutors alleged.
Sean Moran is a policy reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on X @SeanMoran3.
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