A Routine Stop Turns Violent
What began as a routine traffic stop on a warm summer day in Eugene, Oregon, ended in a violent collision that left a motorcyclist sprawled on the pavement — and a state trooper facing a civil rights lawsuit.
The incident, captured on Oregon State Police dashcam footage, shows Lt. Robert Edwards using his patrol car to ram into motorcyclist Justin Wilkens, launching him off his bike and onto the asphalt. The shocking video — now widely circulated online — reignited national conversations about police use of force, accountability, and qualified immunity.
The Lawsuit: Wilkens v. Edwards
The case, Justin Wilkens v. Robert Edwards and Oregon State Police (Case No. 6:14-cv-00907-MC), was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon in 2014. The Justice Law Group, representing Wilkens, alleged that Lt. Edwards violated his client’s constitutional rights by using excessive and unreasonable force during what should have been a low-risk traffic stop.
According to court documents, Wilkens was riding his Yamaha motorcycle near Eugene when Edwards began following him. The trooper later claimed he suspected the motorcyclist of attempting to evade police. Yet, the dashcam footage paints a different picture — one that jurors would later find disturbing and unjustified.
hocking video — now widely circulated online — reignited national conversations about police use of force, accountability, and qualified immunity.
