Video: Mother of man killed by Utah police had a similar traffic stop
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FARMINGTON — A woman whose son was shot and killed by Farmington police had her own encounter with officers during a similar traffic stop in April of last year.
KSL-TV obtained the body cam video of Diane Allan’s traffic stop through a public records request. In the video, Allan can be seen refusing to give the officer her license or registration and said she didn’t have to.
“Do you have your license and information with you?” the officer asked. Allan can barely be heard in the video responding, “I am not operating under a license.”
“OK, do you have insurance for the vehicle?” the officer asked. Allan replied, “I’m not going to answer that.”
“What about registration?” the officer said. Allan responded with, “I’m not going to answer that.”
Allan is the mother of Chase Allan, 25, who was fatally shot last week by police after a traffic stop. Police said the younger Allan “asserted his independence” and refused to cooperate with officers and give identification. When he refused to get out of the car, an officer opened the door to the car while another officer attempted to remove Allan from the vehicle, police have said.
“At that time an observing officer yelled out the words, ‘gun, gun, gun!’ A struggle that appeared to last only seconds ensued and gunshots could be heard,” Farmington police said in a statement describing the body cam video from the shooting. That video has not yet been released.
After they shot him, police say they immediately rendered aid to Allan.
In his mother’s case, she would only hand the officer a passport and a declaration of independence document through the very small window opening, the video shows. With her name, the officer could be heard back in his patrol car confirming that the car belongs to Diane Allan.
“The reason I stopped you is because of the expired registration from last year,” the officer said.
“That’s not probable cause to stop me,” Allan said.
“Let me explain this and get you on your way,” the officer said.
“I told you that’s not probable cause and you should know that,” Allan responded.
Greg Skordas, a defense attorney in Salt Lake City who is not associated with the case, said he has defended many sovereign citizens in the past. The FBI describes those who identify as sovereign citizens as people who “believe that federal, state and local governments operate illegally.” Skordas watched the body cam video of Diane Allan’s traffic stop and said officers were more than patient with her.
“I think Farmington handled this perfectly, exactly like they should do it,” Skordas said. “Really you could say she’s not cooperating, she’s not doing anything, take her out of the car and take her into custody, but they are like just a traffic citation, just give her a ticket.”
He said the difference is that based on what police have said, it sounds like Chase Allan refused to hand over any information at all.
“There was a significant difference in the way the son reacted to police officers than the mother and there is a little bit of a difference the way officers reacted to the son. Inasmuch they weren’t anxious to just give him a citation and sent him on his way,” Skordas said. “Officers were forced to try and get whatever information they could and in that case, they were trying to get him out of the vehicle to get information from him and that’s when everything went south.”
Farmington police said they do plan to release the body cam video of Chase Allan’s traffic stop at a future date, as required by state law.
Days after the shooting, Chase Allan’s family released a statement calling the death a “brutal murder.”
Police have released few details in the days after Allan’s death, citing the investigation into the shooting. His family said they have been “stonewalled.”
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Dan Rascon
