A disabled military veteran has claimed he was mocked by Dallas police officers after he wet his pants when he was not allowed to use a restaurant bathroom.
DyNell Lane said Serious Pizza employees refused to allow him to use the restroom on June 10 before two off-duty security officers refused to look at his medical papers.
The former Army sergeant, who was injured while deploying to Afghanistan and Kuwait, eventually urinated on himself and later called 911.
Two police officers on duty arrived after the incident and bodycam footage appears to show the four officers taunting Lane with a slap on the knee as he laughed.
Reporting on the incident, Lane spoke at a meeting of the Dallas police oversight board on August 8, saying they “discriminated against me and refused to help me.”
A disabled military veteran has claimed he was mocked by Dallas police officers after he peed himself when he was not allowed to use a restaurant bathroom
DyNell Lane said Serious Pizza employees refused to allow him to use the restroom on June 10 before two off-duty officers, who worked in security, refused to look at his medical papers
In the video, one of the officers who arrived later laughs and says, “So you made a man pee yourself?”
One of the off-duty police officers replies “yes” with a smile and the other slaps his knee and starts laughing out loud after the male officer says Lane called 911.
“He got mad that you guys wouldn’t let him go to the bathroom and then he called back and said it’s okay he didn’t have to pee anymore because he was soiled,” the female officer on duty says before the video ends.
The off-duty police officers are named in an Internal Affairs document as James Smith and Juan Figueroa Lua. But the officers on duty have not been named.
Lane told the Dallas Police Oversight Board, “The Dallas Police Department has let me down.
“Two Dallas police officers discriminated against me and refused to help bridge the gap between me and the Serious Pizza manager.
‘I had higher expectations of the city. Please listen to me as I ask everyone to make a change so that no one with a disability will go through what I had to go through.”
Board member Jonathan Maples served in the US Marine Corps and said, “That absolutely turned me around.
“It is absolutely appalling to treat one of our veterans like this.”
Derric Pegram, who also sits on the board, pointed to the Dallas Police Department’s code of conduct, which states that officers may not mock, mock, taunt, or belittle anyone on or off duty.
“If he hadn’t even shown the card, he’s still a person,” he said. “He didn’t have to talk about his disability.”
In the video, one of the officers who arrived later laughs and says, “So you made a man pee yourself?”
One of the off-duty cops answers “yes” with a smile and the other slaps his knee and starts laughing out loud after the male cop says Lane called 911
Lane reported the incident and spoke at a meeting of the Dallas police oversight board on Aug. 8, saying they “discriminated against me and refused to help me.”
Lane has had surgery on his lower extremities after being injured on deployment. He told the board of trustees that he was medically disabled and is not leading a normal life
States such as Texas have a restroom access law, known as “Ally Law,” that says people who are legally on a business’ property must be allowed access to a bathroom if they can prove they have a medical condition requiring immediate access to the toilet.
Lane said, “If a retail company chooses to ignore an individual who tries to present such documents, they should be held accountable, because that’s why[the Americans With Disabilities Act]is in effect.”
He has state and federal ID and legal documents.
Lane underwent surgery on his lower extremities after being wounded while serving in Afghanistan and Kuwait.
He told the board of trustees that he was medically disabled and is not leading a normal life.
“My life has changed, changed dramatically, and it’s been a constant battle to explain myself about my disability to get help,” he said.
“Through this struggle I am constantly depressed and sometimes suicidal due to the embarrassment of asking strangers for help while out in public.”
The restaurant told The Dallas Morning News that the owner is also a veteran and was unaware of the details of the incident until the bodycam footage was released.
“We are saddened and disappointed to learn how he has been treated near our restaurant,” the statement read.
“We are disheartened that we have not had a chance to resolve the situation in real time.”
An administrative investigation of internal affairs is ongoing, police said.