Man arrested for giving police officer the finger to receive $175,000

A driver who was arrested for flashing a middle finger at a police officer has been awarded a huge sum of cash – and plans to spend it are already taking shape.

Gregory Bombard, who was arrested in February 2018, ended his lawsuit against the state of Vermont and the Vermont State Police with a $175,000 settlement, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.

According to a lawsuit filed in 2021, Trooper Jay Riggen stopped Bombard's vehicle in St. Albans because he believed he had “extended and displayed his left middle finger on his steering wheel.”

Despite his denial, Bombard was subjected to several minutes of questioning, according to the complaint.

After the detention proceeding, Bombard returned to his car where he cursed at the state trooper and gave the finger as he drove away.

That incident prompted Riggen to stop Bombard a second time, arresting him for disorderly conduct and ordering his car towed.

The Vermont man was then jailed and held at the Vermont State Police barracks in St. Albans for more than an hour before being summoned to appear in criminal court.

Nearly a year after the arrest and questioning, the criminal case against Bombard was dropped.

In 2021, the man filed a lawsuit against Riggen and the state of Vermont, claiming the initial shutdown violated his “rights to be free from unreasonable seizure and unlawful arrest.”

Additionally, he said that giving the “middle finger” to protest a police officer's actions is “free speech protected by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution and Article Thirteen of the Vermont Constitution.”

Following legal proceedings, a $175,000 settlement was awarded due to the violation of Bombard's First Amendment rights during the 2018 incident.

$100,000 of the settlement will be paid to Bombard to cover damages while the remaining $75,000 will be used for attorney's fees.

Of the move, Bombard said, “Through this agreement, I hope the Vermont State Police will train its officers to avoid silencing critics or conducting unfounded traffic stops.” »

He also revealed what he plans to do with the money, including taking his parents out for a well-deserved meal.

“And at least now I can pay my criminal lawyer for defending me against the false accusations and take my 88-year-old mother out for a nice dinner,” he said.

Commenting on her client's victory, Hillary Rich, an attorney with the ACLU of Vermont, said: “While our client is pleased with this outcome, this incident should never have happened in the first place.

“The police must respect everyone's First Amendment rights, even for things they consider offensive or insulting.”

She added that state lawmakers “must do more” to prevent “unnecessary and unwarranted police interactions” by “reducing the footprint and overall authority” of police in communities.

UNILAD has contacted the Vermont State Police for further comment.