Boise man needed facial surgery after beating by Meridian police. Now he’s going to jail

An Ada County judge ruled that a man who was beaten so severely by a Meridian police officer that he needed facial reconstruction surgery will spend at least several years in prison.

Boise resident Colt Seward was arrested in May 2023 after officers found him “passed out at the wheel” in a lane of traffic with his engine running near the intersection of North Ten Mile Road and West Ustick Road in Meridian, police said in a news release. the time

The Meridian Police Department said Officer Donald Heida used force during the arrest because Seward slipped the handcuffs while in the back of the patrol car. Video of his arrest was shared widely after a bystander caught Heida punching Seward at least a half-dozen times in the face and head, some of the blows landing while Seward was face down in a parking lot, pinned down by Heida, who was assisted by another officer.

Seward, 32, pleaded guilty through a plea deal in August to possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia; unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; driving under the influence; evading arrest; and possession of a prescription drug without authorization. Prosecutors dropped a police battery charge, court records show.

As a result of the litany of charges, Fourth District Judge Patrick Miller sentenced Seward to spend at least three years in prison before becoming eligible for parole. Seward gets credit for time served, which shaves almost a year off that sentence.

Miller said he chose not to watch the video of Seward’s arrest, saying he “abhors violence” and didn’t want to let the footage sway him in any way. He emphasized that it is not up to him to make a decision about the use of force by the agent.

“I don’t see it, frankly,” Miller said. “I think it’s probably pretty violent. I’ve seen the injuries; I’ve seen the description. It looked pretty egregious, and the defendant suffered substantial harm. I don’t know if I need to see that to further those conclusions.”

Violent arrest, drug offenses and prison time

The Meridian Police Department said Seward elbowed an officer as the officer tried to put the handcuffs back on because Seward got away. Body camera footage obtained by the Idaho Statesman showed Seward pulling his left hand away when officers put their hands behind his back during the recuff attempt.

Meridian Police Chief Tracy Basterrechea later said Heida did not violate policy and that “these incidents do not happen if the suspect is cooperative.”

Seward told the Statesman that the officer’s punches left him with a traumatic brain injury and that he still has blurred vision, facial numbness, spasms and memory problems. He underwent reconstructive surgery to place a prosthesis on his face to keep his right eye, because of a broken bone just next to it, medical records obtained by the Idaho Statesman showed.

His wife, Mersades Seward, said his medical costs totaled more than $100,000.

Seward filed a lawsuit against the police department, but has not yet decided whether to move forward with a lawsuit. He was sentenced last Thursday.

Seward has drug offenses dating back to when he was a teenager. The judge acknowledged that Seward’s early experiences with addiction and the criminal justice system made it more difficult for him to establish a stable adulthood. At the same time, Miller said, Seward had had several opportunities for recovery.

“Something different, perhaps more serious, has to happen to provide an opportunity for rehabilitation,” Miller said.

The judge said after weighing those factors, as well as the risk Seward posed to public safety when he drove under the influence last year, he decided a three-year fixed and five-year indeterminate sentence was appropriate to cover all crimes.

The judge also ordered his driver’s license to be suspended for one year after his release.

When asked to speak, Seward gave a tearful statement at the Ada County Courthouse. He opened up about his struggles with drugs and wanting to be a better father, saying addiction had “humiliated” him to his “core as a human being”.

“Every time I look in the mirror, I remember what happened on May 16th, and I thank God that I’m alive and here today,” Seward said.