FINGER LICKIN’ GOOD

Vermont Man Arrested for Flipping Off Trooper Settles Suit for $175K

Gregory Bombard said his “freedom of expression” was violated after he was arrested and charged with two counts of disorderly conduct, which were later dismissed.

A Vermont man who said his 2018 arrest for throwing up a middle finger at a state trooper violated his First Amendment rights has settled a lawsuit in the matter for $175,000, according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont. The suit was filed against the state and the arresting officer on Gregory Bombard’s behalf in 2021. It claims that the officer, Sgt. Jay Riggen, unnecessarily pulled Bombard over to accuse him of flipping him off. Dashcam footage from the incident shows Bombard denying it at first, then giving Riggen the finger and cursing at him. After pulling him over again, Riggen took Bombard into custody. “He called me an asshole and said ‘Fuck you.’ Flipped the bird,” the officer can be heard saying in the footage, which was made public by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression last year. “I’m gonna arrest him for disorderly conduct.” Bombard was jailed for an hour and charged with two counts of disorderly conduct. Nearly a year later, the charges were dropped.