City Worker Caught on Camera Blocking Woman’s SUV with City Vehicle During Parking Lot Dispute, Employee Put on Leave

[Updated: Friday, July 6, 2018 | 3:45 p.m.]   Pasadena city officials are looking into the actions of a Building and Safety Division employee seen on cellphone camera video footage berating a woman over her driving and blocking her SUV with his city vehicle earlier this week.

The video, posted on YouTube on July 3 on an account called “rootsofequality” and first reported by KCBS, was taken from the perspective of a bystander who saw what was happening Tuesday in the parking lot of a Target store at 777 East Colorado Boulevard, became concerned and started videoing.

“You can’t block her,” the witness told the man.

“I can do whatever I want,” he replied.

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Watch the video in full here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xu0kKctUhJI

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In it, the city worker is seen telling the woman she needs to learn to drive. The woman apologizes to the city employee, but he refuses to let her and her child leave.

Ultimately, private security guards showed up to intervene. They told him he needed to move his car and let the woman leave.

“Who are you to tell me what to do?” the city worker asks the security guards. “I work for the city… Are you telling me I can’t come in here and do my job.”

The guards stood firm. One can be heard telling the city worker, “You could do it, but we are telling you that you’ve got to leave her alone.”

Pasadena police Lt. Max Dahlstein said the department received a call from the city worker during the incident, but both the worker and the woman were gone when officers arrived.

Acting Pasadena Public Information Officer Lisa Derderian said Friday morning that the City is  “aware of the incident and take it very seriously.  We have initiated an investigation. Because it’s a personnel matter we can’t comment on the status of the employee at this time.”

On Friday afternoon, Derderian said the employee has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

“We can assure the public there will be a thorough investigation into this incident,” Derderian said. “It’s a very unfortunate situation that occurred.”

The man involved in the incident remains employed by the city, according to KCBS.