California · San Francisco Police Department
Matthew Ludwig
A mistyped license plate leads to an arrest and prosecution
Officer disciplinedOfficers believed they had caught a car thief, but they had mistyped his plate. They attacked, arrested and prosecuted an innocent man. Fourteen months later, he was dead. The Department of Police Accountability has issued findings.
Timeline
- 4 Jul 2024Stopped after a plate typo; pepper-sprayed, arrested and prosecuted.
- 28 May 2025Public Defender files a complaint with the Department of Police Accountability.
- 19 Feb 2026DPA issues its findings.
- 31 Aug 2026Video breakdown.