Falsely Accused Oklahoma Veteran Fighting for Benefits

Adrianna Iwasinski, News 9

STILLWATER, Oklahoma -- An Oklahoma veteran is still dealing with the mess left by a case of mistaken identity that caused him to be falsely accused, falsely arrested, falsely reprimanded and cut off from his military benefits.

Iraqi war veteran Shawn Dunbar was accused of an assault that took place last year in Junction City, Kansas, that left a man badly beaten. Dunbar said he hadn't been to Junction City for months.

"I haven't been there since my military training," said Dunbar. "I have receipts that prove I was in Oklahoma at the time of the assault. You go to hero to zero real fast. You're guilty until proven innocent. It's still hanging over my head."

The victim, Jason Gromlovits, had to have plastic surgery on his face and eye socket to repair the damage left by the beating. His girlfriend, Samantha Blaske, said he was at a party at a friend's home when the assault occurred.

"Everyone had been drinking and Jason was wrestling around with a friend of the homeowner when things got out of hand," said Blaske. "The homeowner identified the person who beat Jason up as a man named Shawn Dunbar."

An arrest warrant went out for a Shawn Dunbar. After several months, investigators located men with that name living in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Manhattan, Kansas. They chose to arrest the one in Stillwater.

Investigators had said Dunbar was identified in a photo lineup, but Blaske said that never happened. Blaske said it was not until a court date this year when she and Gromlovits were able to confirm the Shawn Dunbar in court was not the one who had assaulted Gromlovits.

"It's really messed up," said Blaske. "It's a horrible situation. The real guy is still out there and someone else got arrested by mistake. I just want justice served for everybody. And for Shawn Dunbar in Oklahoma, I want his justice served, too. I want him to find some kind of relief."

Now Shawn Dunbar is trying to put his life back together in Stillwater.

"The damage is done, the scars are deep. Don't know if it can be sewn up," Dunbar said.

The Geary County Sheriff's Department in Kansas said the two deputies assigned to the case have since resigned, and they are still trying to locate the real attacker.

Dunbar said he has hired a lawyer and is planning to file a lawsuit.