TOLEDO — The city of Toledo has reached a fourth and final settlement with an individual who alleged that former Police Officer Kyle Howe used excessive force against him during a 2023 traffic stop.

According to documents shared with the T-R, 28-year-old Issaias Romero will receive a gross settlement amount of $27,500 jointly payable to himself and the law firm representing him, Kaplan and Frese LLP of Marshalltown. The city’s insurer will be responsible for making the payment.

As with previous settlements, the agreement does not constitute an admission of wrongdoing by the defendants, and the case will no longer proceed to trial in federal court. Body camera footage from the incident showed that Romero was thrown onto the hood of Howe’s patrol car while he was handcuffed before being tackled to the ground during a traffic stop on the U.S. 30 East/Highway 63 ramp.

Romero was initially charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, operating while under the influence first offense, possession of a controlled substance — marijuana first, keeping premises or vehicle for controlled substances, interference with official acts — bodily injury, driving while barred, assault on persons in certain occupations – bodily injury and four traffic citations. He subsequently pleaded guilty to the driving while barred, OWI and possession of marijuana counts — receiving a deferred judgment on each — while the remaining criminal charges were dismissed in Tama County District Court.

Between Romero, Cynthia McSweeney, Brodie Clark and the estate of the late Steven Horrigan, the city of Toledo has paid out a total of $97,500 in settlements related to excessive force allegations against Howe. One other lawsuit filed by Lang Leonard was dismissed before trial in federal court, and in April of 2025, a federal jury in Cedar Rapids ruled in favor of Howe and the city of Toledo in a suit filed by plaintiff Shyla Wolf.

Romero was represented by Attorney Chad Frese of Kaplan and Frese, while Howe was represented by Benjamin Roach of Nyemaster Goode and the city of Toledo was represented by Douglas Phillilps of the Klass Law Firm.