Baltimore City To Pay Woman $95K After 'Rough Ride' In Police Van

BALTIMORE (WJZ) – Baltimore City agreed to pay $95,000 to a woman who says she was given a rough ride in a police van.

Derek Valcourt reports for WJZ.

"It was really bumpy," she said. "They were driving very fast and aggressively. They took really wide, fast turns, and I was just sliding around in there."

That van ride happened in 2012, and it got a lot of scrutiny in light of the Freddie Gray case.

But the city says her alleged rough ride isn't the reason why they're paying up.

Wednesday morning, the City Board of Estimates agreed to pay Abbot $95,000 to settle her civil lawsuit in the case.

They say she was paid because of what happened when the dress she was wearing got ripped.

"My breasts were exposed and they just had me standing there for anyone to see," Abbott said.

City Solicitor George Nilson says the department should have requested that a female officer covered her up.

"Instead, the male officer tried to do it," Nilson said. "And the young lady was mortified by the prolonged exposure to the crowd of 110 people."

He says fighting that claim in federal court could have been more costly in the long run.

The city's solicitor says he's not aware of any other formal complaints about unbelted prisoners in transport vans since the city made changes to its seat belt policy in April.