Ex-Chula Vista cop faces civil lawsuit for abusing teenager

A former Chula Vista police officer is facing a civil lawsuit for an incident in which he pleaded guilty in criminal court to physically abusing his girlfriend’s then 16-year-old son while he was off duty.

Matthew McCormick Jr., now 18, filed a lawsuit in San Diego Superior court on May 31 seeking damages from ex-Chula Vista police officer Roman Granados in which Granados beat up McCormick Jr. in June 2014 after his sister’s sixth-grade promotion ceremony at Chula Vista Hills Elementary School.

In the criminal case, Granados faced four misdemeanor child abuse charges from the District Attorney’s Office before he pleaded guilty last November to a single misdemeanor child cruelty charge.

As part of the plea deal, Granados avoided jail time. Instead, he received four years probation, a $764 fine and community service. He was also mandated to attend 52 weeks of child abuse focused therapy.

Throughout the criminal proceeding, details of what had happened during the incident remained scarce as it was only described by the victim’s father that Granados had “punched and choked” the teenage boy.

The lawsuit now sheds some light on the incident.

The lawsuit says Granados, without provocation, came up behind McCormick Jr. and grabbed him by the neck. Granados then squeezed and slammed McCormick Jr. into the wall then jabbed and punched him in the stomach and subsequently ran away.

Before any parents or children could intervene, Granados told McCormick “this isn’t over … I’ll be back,” and ran away, the lawsuit says. Granados did return for a second time and grabbed McCormick Jr. with both of his hands and choked him in front of multiple parents — and children — then he jabbed McCormick  Jr. in the stomach and face.

McCormick Jr. states in the lawsuit that as a result of being choked, he struggled to breathe and suffered marks and bruises on his body. Chula Vista Police Capt. Lon Turner previously said McCormick Jr. declined medical attention, but later checked himself into a hospital on his own after experiencing head pain.

The lawsuit also says McCormick Jr. was put in a neck brace and transported to a local hospital.

“This case involves an injury that this young man incurred because of Roman Granados’s actions and we’re trying to recover for it,” said attorney  Hugh McCabe who represents McCormick. “Mr. McCormick was injured as a result of Mr. Granados’s actions and he wants to be made whole.”

McCabe said he needs to gather McCormick Jr.’s medical records to determine the amount they are seeking in damages.

Granados, a 16-year veteran of the police force, did not return phone messages seeking comment.

McCormick Jr. said he still deals with lingering psychological and physical effects from what Granados did to him.

“At the end of the day, no court hearings, punishments or lawsuits will take away what he did to me,” he said. “I would give anything to have had none of this happen to me and it ended up ruining most of my teenage hood. At the very best, I can hope to recover from all this, once it’s all over and try to move on with my life.”

Previously McCormick Jr. had filed a restraining order against the former police officer but a criminal restraining order dissolved that.

Granados’ criminal case is not quite over yet. He had a criminal restitution hearing earlier this month that was continued to Sept.7.  Granados claims he has no money to pay restitution. Records show he has defaulted on a home loan.

After his sentencing, Granados was fired from the Chula Vista Police Department. He has appealed his firing and has an Aug.17 Civil Service hearing.