Andrea “Dre” Hollingsworth, who goes by Drizzy Breezy on Facebook, is shown in three screenshots during an April 7 stop by North Las Vegas police. (Drizzy Breezy Facebook)
Andrea “Dre” Hollingsworth, a deaf mother from Las Vegas, will receive $1.2 million after a police officer pulled her from her car and arrested her even though she could not hear his commands.
The incident happened in April 2021 after police received a call accusing Hollingsworth of stalking someone. When officers arrived, Hollingsworth was in a car with her two daughters. The girls told police they had only come to collect $200 in rent from the person who made the call. But the situation quickly turned tense.
Body camera video later showed Hollingsworth trying to tell the officer she could not hear. She pointed to her ears while sitting in the car. At the time, she was also wearing a face mask because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which made it harder to read lips.
Instead of finding another way to communicate, Officer Michael Rose ordered her to follow instructions. He did not allow her to write messages or use sign language to explain.
When Hollingsworth did not respond to his verbal commands, Rose pulled her out of the car. The video shows him forcing her to the ground and placing a knee on her back while putting her in handcuffs.
Her daughters began to cry as the officer shouted at them and told them to “talk some sense” into their mother because she’s “not listening.” Hollingsworth, who is 40, was later released and no charges were filed.
She filed a federal lawsuit against the officer and the police department. The case argued that her rights under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments were violated and that officers failed to respect protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The lawsuit said the officer ignored clear signs that she was deaf and refused to adjust how he communicated with her. It also described the emotional pain the incident caused both Hollingsworth and her children. Last week, the case ended with a $1.2 million settlement.
The agreement does more than provide compensation. It also requires the police department to train officers on how to properly deal with people who are deaf or hard of hearing. The city has also begun hiring American Sign Language interpreters to help officers communicate during certain situations.