A Citrus Heights man says he had already served his time on a 2017 misdemeanor when a traffic stop last August landed him back behind bars, in a jail cell he describes as smeared with dried blood and fouled with diarrhea. Kyle Kramnic is now suing Sacramento County, six deputies, the city of Citrus Heights and police officer Joshua Zuniga, alleging false imprisonment, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The lawsuit, filed in Sacramento Superior Court on September 16, states that Zuniga pulled Kramnic over in Citrus Heights without probable cause and found what he believed was an active misdemeanor warrant, according to The Sacramento Bee. Kramnic had been sentenced on the misdemeanor back in 2017 and had already completed that sentence, the suit alleges, and court records show he has no other criminal charges in Sacramento Superior Court. Zuniga transported him to the Sacramento County Main Jail, where he was held in a holding cell for several hours.
Deputies Allegedly Ignored a Judge's Release Order
According to the lawsuit, deputies told Kramnic there had been a mistake and that he would be released soon. At his 3 p.m. court appearance, a judge realized the mistake and ordered his immediate release. But deputies did not actually let him go until 10 p.m. that night. Police and jail deputies allegedly failed to check the court order confirming Kramnic had already served his sentence.
During that stretch, deputies moved Kramnic to a fifth-floor cell and told him to sleep on the top bunk, the lawsuit states. He says he could not climb onto the bunk without injuring his knees and back, and that deputies never provided a mattress for the floor as an alternative. A television allegedly blared at full volume all night, keeping him awake.
Cell Conditions and Food Described in the Filing
The lawsuit alleges Kramnic's cell was filthy with diarrhea and had dried blood on the walls, and that his cellmate was suffering from a severe case of diarrhea during his stay. Deputies allegedly denied him food, water and toilet paper for stretches of the detention. When breakfast did arrive, the suit claims it consisted of two ounces of potato — despite Kramnic being unable to eat dairy, a detail the lawsuit raises in connection with the food he was given.
City and County Respond to Pending Litigation
The Citrus Heights Police Department says Zuniga remains an officer with the department and that it plans to defend both him and the department in court, per the same Sacramento Bee report, which attributes those comments to Lt. Nicki Garing. Sacramento County spokesperson Kim Nava declined further comment, citing a policy that prohibits discussing active litigation. Sacramento County has not offered a public response to the allegations.
A separate federal court filing discusses different plaintiffs, their arrests, prosecutions and other claims, in a document posted on govinfo.gov. Kramnic's lawsuit is a civil case alleging false imprisonment, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
