Worthington Motorist Gets $60,000 in Police Beating Case

WORTHINGTON (AP) -- A Worthington motorist who was pulled from his car,
punched and kneed by a police officer in 2016 has reached a $60,000 settlement in an excessive force case.

The settlement between Anthony Promvongsa and the city of Worthington and the Buffalo Ridge Drug Task Force was announced Wednesday by the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota.

In July 2016, Promvongsa was stopped by task force Officer Joe Joswiak, who drew his gun and beat Promvongsa in an incident captured on video.

Promvongsa said he feels vindicated. As part of the settlement, the city of Worthington also made policy changes to increase officer accountability. A message left Wednesday with the Worthington police chief wasn't immediately returned.

Criminal charges against Promvongsa say he took aggressive action toward officers' cars. He pleaded guilty to fifth-degree assault.