Of the eight costliest settlements involving the county, six involved the Sheriff\u2019s Department. These included a $7-million payout for a shooting<\/a> in a parking garage that left a man paralyzed, $17.2 million for a car crash that involved a deputy driving twice the posted speed limit, and a $25-million settlement<\/a> that went to an autistic man who was shot in his home.<\/p>\n That payout, the costliest of the period, stemmed from a March 2021 911 call for Isaias Cervantes<\/a>, a deaf man who was in the throes of a mental health crisis<\/a>. His sister asked the dispatcher if deputies could take him to the hospital after he\u2019d grown aggressive with their mother.<\/p>\n According to video of the incident released by the department, the deputies went into the house where Cervantes was seated on the couch. After they tried to handcuff him, a struggle ensued and one deputy said Cervantes tried to grab his gun. The other deputy shot Cervantes, leaving him permanently paralyzed.<\/p>\n Isaias Cervantes sued the Sheriff\u2019s Department after he was shot and paralyzed inside his family\u2019s home.<\/p>\n (Provided by Cervantes family and attorneys.)<\/p>\n The Sheriff\u2019s Department determined that the deputies involved, David Vega and Jonathan Miramontes, did not violate its use of force<\/a> policies.<\/p>\n The department referred an inquiry on the spending to county counsel, which wrote the report. The county said in a statement it \u201ctakes seriously the responsibility of accurately and transparently reporting the litigation costs of the County\u201d and is committed to addressing \u201cthe root causes that lead to judgments and settlements.\u201d<\/p>\n Outside law firms continued to account for a significant chunk of the county\u2019s legal spending, according to the report. Of the roughly $229 million in legal spending, nearly 40% \u2014 $89.3 million \u2014 went to outside law firms, which the county routinely taps to help defend against lawsuits. The amount spent on outside firms steadily has ticked up over the last four years. In fiscal year ending June 2022, the county spent about $49 million on outside lawyers with the total spend rising every year since.<\/p>\n![\"Isaias](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1770120788_151_.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n