NJ mom settles accusations of Woodbridge police abuse

🚨 Woodbridge agrees to pay woman $197,000 in settlement

🚨 She claims police manhandled her and abused her 3 dogs

🚨 Officers give a very different version of events

SOUTH AMBOY — A Middlesex County mom and Woodbridge Township have settled a lawsuit accusing police officers of forcing their way into her home, causing her to lose custody of her daughter for several months.

In a lawsuit, Katiria Ortiz said she was the victim of police brutality.

The South Amboy woman and her attorney will split $197,000, according to a settlement first obtained in late April by John Paff with TransparencyNJ.com. Funds will be paid by Woodbridge's insurance fund.

The settlement, reached in February, stems from an incident in 2018. Ortiz was 30 years old at the time.

Police brutality at South Amboy townhouse?

According to the lawsuit, Ortiz was at her townhouse on Adamecs Way in South Amboy on the morning of June 21, 2018. Her eight-year-old daughter was home at the time.

Around 10 a.m., two Woodbridge police officers kicked in her bathroom door as she prepared to take a shower. Ortiz was naked.

The lawsuit said the door smacked her in the face, breaking her nose and knocking her unconscious. Court documents said she fell to the ground "spread eagle."

Ortiz said that after she woke, she wasn't allowed to put on clothes for 15 minutes. The officers then threw her onto a bed and threw her a gown to put on, the lawsuit said.

According to the lawsuit, the police officers filed fake police reports to cover their tracks.

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Ortiz was charged with drug possession, evidence tampering, money laundering, obstruction, and throwing bodily fluids at law enforcement.

All charges were later dismissed.

Police said drug dealer was seen leaving house

However, the Woodbridge police officers said they went into Ortiz's townhouse because they were conducting a drug investigation.

In court documents, the detectives said they were investigating a man due to a confidential tip.

The man, Joshua Pardo, pleaded guilty to second-degree drug manufacturing, distribution, and possession, according to state records. Court records said he forfeited $3,006 as part of the plea agreement.

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Police found Pardo was living with Ortiz and got a search warrant for the townhouse.

The officers saw Pardo leave the home and tried to conduct a traffic stop, but he drove away. Court documents said that as he sped off, Pardo was seen on his cell phone and threw away a small bag filled with cocaine.

The detective, who believed the man may be calling Ortiz to dispose of other drugs, executed the search warrant and went into the townhouse. Officers said they heard running water in the bathroom and that Ortiz did not respond to them.

Police agreed that they kicked in the bathroom door and that it hit Ortiz. However, they said she spat blood in their faces.

After the confrontation with Ortiz, investigators said they searched the bathroom and found credit cards in Pardo's name, a zip lock bag filled with cocaine, and cash held together with rubber bands hidden in the toilet reservoir tank.

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