NY Woman Accuses Cop in Strip Case

Wednesday, January 3rd 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

NEW YORK (AP) â€” A woman has accused a Suffolk County police officer of ordering her to strip down to her underwear and walk home in the snow as punishment for allegedly failing a sobriety test early New Year's Day.

``It was the most humiliating experience of my life,'' said Angelina Torres, 27. ``I was scared. I was freezing cold.''

The Suffolk County Police Department is investigating the allegations and has placed the officer on administrative leave. The officer was not identified.

Torres said she left a Long Island bar early Monday morning after a fight with her boyfriend. She pulled off the highway a short while later in tears, said her lawyer, Gary Gramer.

An officer then pulled up to check on her. The officer gave Torres three sobriety tests â€” one of which she failed â€” then handcuffed her and placed her in the back of his patrol car, Gramer said.

Torres said the officer drove her around for almost a half-hour before stopping near her home. The officer then told her that he usually made ``the guys'' walk home naked, ``to teach them a lesson,'' court papers filed Tuesday alleged.

Gramer said the officer ordered Torres to strip down to her underwear and walk the remaining four or five blocks to her home carrying her clothes. After Torres began walking, the officer eventually relented and let her wear her coat, Gramer said.

Gramer filed papers Tuesday notifying the county that his client planned to sue. Torres is seeking damages resulting from harassment, false arrest, false imprisonment, extortion and being ordered to remove her clothes against her will.