Opinion ID: 2974910
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Scott Rotolo.

Text: The district court concluded, and we agree, that plaintiff submitted sufficient facts to overcome Rotolo’s qualified immunity defense at the summary judgment stage. First, Rotolo noticed an overbearing smell of body odor coming from the U-Haul at the initial stop. When he later approached Hollenbaugh in the bathroom, Hollenbaugh stated that he did not feel well and had the flu. Rotolo, accompanying Hollenbaugh outside, again smelled the body odor and noticed that Hollenbaugh was swaying. Several times during the field sobriety test, Hollenbaugh informed Rotolo that “he didn’t feel good and he had the flu” and again said that he had diarrhea. According to Crystal Brewer, Hollenbaugh grabbed his chest and stated that his chest hurt while breathing deeply. According to Rotolo, Hollenbaugh did not fall, but at one point needed to “sit down as he had diarrhea,” stated that his “head was pounding,” and stated that he was sick. Rotolo admitted that Hollenbaugh stated “three or four times” that he was sick. During the transport to the jail, Rotolo stated that Hollenbaugh rested across the rear seat of the cruiser, leaning against the door during transport. Kelsey Amos claims that Hollenbaugh was 12 Case Nos. 06-3135, 06-3136, 06-3137, 06-3138, 06-3139 Hollenbaugh v. Maurer, et al. having trouble standing, and Rotolo was supporting him during the booking. Amos also stated that Hollenbaugh passed out or slumped down a couple of times and that Rotolo and two other sheriff’s deputies supported him at different times by holding his arms. Although Rotolo contends in his brief that he was unaware of Hollenbaugh’s interactions with other officers because he was completing paperwork, his testimony arguably belies this assertion, as he was aware of the garbage can, the attempts to take a blood pressure reading, and Hollenbaugh’s slumping and fall from the chair. Rotolo knew that Hollenbaugh was dragged and/or carried to the BAC room, stating that “two male deputies . . . lift[ed] him off the ground and carr[ied] him.” Butler’s testimony places Rotolo in the small BAC room with Hollenbaugh when he slumped down with his head on his hand and, ultimately, fell to the floor, hitting his head on the wall. In his deposition, Rotolo gave conflicting testimony as to whether Hollenbaugh remained conscious, but described him as “going in and out of consciousness” in his initial report. According to Rotolo, Hollenbaugh did not respond to the breath test instructions, and the officers recorded this as a refusal to submit to the test. Rotolo asserts in his brief that the “lack of proof of knowledge level of Rotolo” requires this court to conclude that the district court erred. Rotolo is mistaken. “In most cases in which the defendant is alleged to have failed to provide treatment, there is no testimony about what inferences the defendant in fact drew. Nonetheless, in those cases, a genuine issue of material fact as to deliberate indifference can be based on a strong showing on the objective component.” Estate of Carter, 408 F.3d at 313 (holding officer not entitled to qualified immunity when directly informed by decedent that she was in distress and later informed by another officer that decedent was 13 Case Nos. 06-3135, 06-3136, 06-3137, 06-3138, 06-3139 Hollenbaugh v. Maurer, et al. experiencing chest pains, had not taken her “heart” medication, and needed to go to the hospital). We agree with the district court that, based on the proffered evidence, and viewing these facts and reasonable inferences in the light most favorable to Hollenbaugh, plaintiff has established a genuine issue of material fact regarding whether Rotolo was aware of his serious medical condition. See Garretson, 407 F.3d at 798.