According to a published report by CBS News Texas, Fort Worth Officer Matthew Krueger’s firing was overturned on Monday, following his termination after a June 2024 incident that left YouTuber Carolyn “Carolina in Ft. Worth” Rodriguez hospitalized.
That incident took place in Fort Worth last year as Rodriguez was doing a routine livestream of bars closing in downtown Fort Worth and police helping to clear the streets. She unknowingly walked into a crime scene as she went to confront a police officer who she thought was illegally towing cars in a private parking lot.
After the male officer ignored her presence, Rodriguez followed two female officers who also ignored her. Trying to get the female officers’ attention, Rodriguez screamed various things at them, indicating that she was in need of help.
Officer Krueger arrived on the scene a few seconds later and ordered Rodriguez to leave the area as it was an active crime scene. When Rodriguez failed to move, a brief struggle ensued involving Rodriguez and Krueger.
Two different video feeds of the incident show two very different things. In one, Krueger seems to throw Rodriguez around like a rag doll as she was violently thrown to the ground. The other shows that Rodriguez was clearly resisting and seemed to fall forward to escape Krueger’s grasp, resulting in her injuries.
Rodriguez was knocked unconscious when she hit the ground and was briefly hospitalized with arm and head injuries. She was later charged with charged with False Alarm or Report, Interference with Public Duties, Resisting Arrest Search or Transport and Evading Arrest Detention.
YouTuber Christopher “Denver Metro Audits” Cordova came to Fort Worth in support of Rodriguez and mass gatherings of First Amendment Auditors were planned but did not materialize.
Rodriguez would go on to address the Fort Worth city council over the incident, but further actions were delayed as the city council went into summer recess and did not focus on her case when it resumed.
Officer Krueger was investigated for the use of excessive force in the incident and was terminated from the police force in 2024. He appealed the decision, and an independent investigation showed that Krueger followed proper police procedure in the incident, resulting in the overturning of his termination this week.
Rodriguez was convicted of interference in December of 2024, with the other charges dropped. She is currently on probation from the incident, and she is required to stay 25 feet away from police while filming during the course of her probation.
The YouTuber held a three-hour livestream Wednesday night in which she expressed her outrage at Officer Krueger’s apparent reinstatement. She said, “I just don’t get it” when asked how a “violent thug” like Krueger would be reinstated to the police force.
Joined by YouTuber Manuel Mata, the pair claimed that Krueger’s reinstatement more than likely had everything to do with Rodriguez’s lawsuit over the incident. With no finding of fault through Krueger’s firing to back her claims, Rodriguez expressed concern that her case would be harder to litigate in her favor.
Mata added that it continued a pattern of corruption within the Fort Worth police force and backed Rodriguez’s claims that Krueger was a danger to the public.
This is a breaking news story.
Carolyn “Carolina in Ft. Worth” Rodriguez had three things going for her in her lolsuit. 1) she was illegally arrested, 2) excess force used by a fired police officer and 3) severely wounded by the actions of said officier.
Her illegal arrest went by the wayside when she was convicted of crimes related to this incident.
Her excessive force claim went out the window when an independent investigation as noted above showed he had acted within the city police guidelines.
Leaving only her injuries. Now, that part is excessive because police are not supposed to harm people under arrest. However, as she was resisting arrest by struggling with the officier, the jury may decide she was the author of her own harm and award her nothing.
Her lawyer will most likely take the first settlement offer that comes their way. More likely go away money but not much more than covering medical bills incurred from the arrest,
Moral of the story
Here the parting wisdom from this story, never fight with police. You end up getting your face planted, the charges found guilty, the cop getting his job back AND all pay and benefits and you end up with go away money for all the pain and suffering.