Opinion ID: 783467
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Display of Force

Text: 14 The problem here occurred when Ouellette drew, but did not cock, his gun and hurried down the slippery terrain toward McCoy's truck in the ditch. Within a few feet of approaching McCoy, Ouellette apparently slipped on the ice, and his gun discharged accidentally, seriously injuring McCoy. Thus, the relevant inquiry is not whether Ouellette's act of firing his gun was objectively reasonable, but whether, under the totality of the circumstances, his act of drawing his gun was objectively reasonable. 15 Ouellette and Hollinger observed McCoy's truck leaving a night club on New Year's Eve near midnight. The officers next saw McCoy's truck sliding sideways or fishtailing on a road surface covered with recent snow and sleet. The officers activated their vehicle's flashing blue lights and siren. McCoy did not pull over. Ouellette and Hollinger actively pursued McCoy for a mile or more before the officers passed and pulled in front of McCoy. McCoy's truck swerved off the road and slid backwards into a ditch. The officers had reason to believe McCoy was driving while intoxicated and was attempting to avoid arrest for that reason, or for some other illegal purpose. 16 In opposing summary judgment, McCoy argued the City had a custom or regular police practice of officers drawing their firearms when approaching a felony stop, which included a traffic stop of a driver who has fled. Hollinger testified that, as he exited the police cruiser, he drew his firearm and pointed it at McCoy's truck. The McCoys' evidence does not indicate whether the officers saw, or could have seen, McCoy exit his truck in the ditch, at night, with his hands above his head. The McCoys' evidence also does not show whether Ouellette saw, or was in a position where he could have seen, Hollinger slip and fall on the ice, or whether Ouellette was otherwise on notice of the treacherous footing. 17 Based on the totality of circumstances, and viewing the summary judgment facts in a light most favorable to the McCoys, we conclude a jury could not properly find Ouellette's act of drawing his gun was objectively unreasonable, entitling Ouellette to qualified immunity. Any other interpretation of this record is gleaned from 20/20 hindsight as opposed to judging the circumstances from the perspective of a reasonable officer following customary police practices. See Graham, 490 U.S. at 396, 109 S.Ct. 1865.