Black Driver in Dodge Attacked by K-9 During Wrong Vehicle Search

A Black man in Ohio, mauled by a police dog after being wrongly identified as driving a stolen vehicle, has reached a settlement. Brandon Upchurch was operating a red Dodge truck bearing the license plate JLL 7637 when, on April 11, 2024, a license plate reader incorrectly associated it with a tan Chevrolet Malibu, JLL 7362. Officer Adrian Wilson failed to distinguish between the two when he executed the traffic stop.Despite being informed by a dispatcher that the plates did not match, Wilson nevertheless called for backup and charged Upchurch with obstructing and resisting arrest. Upchurch recounted how officers approached with weapons drawn, without asking for standard documentation.The Toledo City Council must still approve the settlement amount, which Upchurch initially sought at least $75,000. The Toledo NAACP condemned the situation as “unwarranted” and indicative of systemic issues in policing and technology. (Photo: Body camera)