STATEN ISLAND — A seven months pregnant woman was assaulted and called a "fat bastard" by NYPD officers after her car was pulled over, according to a lawsuit.
Sheena Stewart, 28, of New Jersey, sued the NYPD after Matthew Castellano and another unnamed officer, claiming they roughed her up during a 2015 traffic stop for not yielding at a stop sign, the New York Daily News first reported.
According to the suit filed in Brooklyn Federal Court, Stewart told officers she was pregnant during the March 31, 2015 stop but they still forcefully removed her from her car and threw her to the ground on her stomach.
"Police officers conducting traffic stops must follow the rules and treat motorists in a safe manner and when they violate the safety and hurt people like Ms. Stewart they have to be held accountable for their actions," her lawyer, Brett Klein, said.
"Here Ms. Stewart did nothing wrong and was verbally and physically punished for no reason."
Stewart was on her way to work caring for disabled adults when she was pulled over at 85 St. Josephs Ave., in front of Port Richmond High School, Klein said.
While Stewart was looking through her glove box to find her registration, Castellano said, "What the f--k is taking so long?" according to the suit.
Stewart told the officers, "If you are going to continue speaking to me like this, I am going to record how you are speaking to me." Then Castellano said he was placing her under arrest, grabbed her and tried to remove her from the car though she was still wearing a seatbelt, according to the suit.
Eventually Stewart was taken out of the car and thrown to the ground on her stomach. On the way to the 121st Precinct, officers threatened to get Stewart fired from her job, the suit says.
While at the precinct, Castellano called Stewart a "fat bastard" and shoved her because "she was walking too slowly," according to the suit.
Stewart — who had no previous arrests or traffic stops — requested medical attention because she was having stomach cramps and back pain but sat in the cell for about an hour while she waited for an ambulance, Klein said.
Eventually, Stewart was charged with obstructing governmental administration, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct but the charges were eventually dropped, according to the lawsuit.
Stewart later gave birth to a healthy baby girl. Castellano resigned from the force two months later for unknown reasons, the Daily News reported.
Earlier this year, Stewart found out she was issued traffic violations for the stop and her license had been suspended. The charges were later dismissed, Klein said.
The suit, filed on June 28, seeks an unspecified amount of money for the false arrest and assault.
A spokesman for the city's Law Department said it was reviewing the complaint.
