PORTLAND, Oregon — An emotional exchange between police and an Oregon woman now facing felony charges, after using her mobility scooter.
Body cam video shows the interaction from the pull-over, to a slow-speed chase, to eventual arrest.
She's saying her rights as a disabled woman were violated.
Jennifer Gayman says she was coming home from a karaoke bar last year when she was stopped by Brookings police.
Body cam footage shows the officers telling Gayman she's being cited for driving her scooter on a sidewalk and without a helmet.
She claims that she is protected to do that by the American with Disabilities Act.
"You're taking my disability act and you're throwing it in the garbage," said Gayman.
Police take her identification then can be seeing googling Oregon laws related to the use of a scooter.
Then, they cited her.
The Americans with Disabilities Act says that wheelchairs are allowed to be used in any area open to pedestrian use and that a scooter satisfies the definition of a wheelchair.
"I'm going around asking people, 'have you been ticket before and they're saying no,' so I don't know why it was me," said Gayman.
Gayman says she suffers from a series of issues including macular degeneration of her eyes, COPD and peripheral neuropathy.
She says a doctor prescribed the scooter.
Gayman said she's never been stopped by police before.
"Never have I been told any of that the whole two years I have lived in this town and rode that scooter and any other town I have ridden my mobility scooters before in the past," Gayman said.
Gayman is facing five charges, including eluding an officer.
Her first court appearance is May 6.
The city says it cannot comment on pending litigation.
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