Dashcam Captures Arrest That Sparked Million Dollar Lawsuit

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* (Disclaimer: The content in this video is intended for educational and informational purposes only) Eugene, Oregon — On January 11, 2025, Eugene police responded to a trespassing call on the 3000 block of River Road after the owner of a vacant property scheduled for demolition reported a man removing scrap boards and metal. The owner had previously invited a neighbor to clear the materials, and that neighbor had told 41-year-old Jehoshaphat Commandest he could collect the scrap. The property owner reported that Commandest was on the land without authorization. Commandest was standing near a pickup truck on adjacent property when Officers Stephen Lahm and Lindsey Collier arrived. Commandest told the Officers that he believed the property had been abandoned and said he was willing to return the materials if requested. According to a later lawsuit and dashcam footage, Commandest cooperated with officers, was handcuffed without resistance and escorted toward a patrol vehicle before the situation suddenly escalated. Court filings claim that while Commandest was restrained, Officer Lahm repeatedly struck him in the face, briefly grabbed him by the throat and used a Taser multiple times after Commandest turned his body during the escort. Commandest was taken to Lane County Jail and charged with second-degree criminal trespass and resisting arrest. The resisting charge was later dismissed, and he pleaded guilty to trespass in December 2025. He filed a formal complaint days after the incident, and the Eugene Police Auditor’s office sustained findings that Lahm’s force violated department policy. Officer Lahm resigned from the department on November 21, 2025, and remains under a state professional-standards review. Officer Collier continues to serve. In July 2026 Commandest…

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