As reported by the Press Republican, a college student has accused two Lake Placid Village Police officers in a personal injury lawsuit for assault, battery, false arrest and abuse of process, due to an incident on January 21 in a grocery store parking lot.
T.S., 20, has named officers J.D.S. and M.J.B. in the suit filed in the Village Office on February 7.
While in the Hannaford Supermarket lot, the suit states that officer J.D.S. “without justification, assaulted and battered (T.S.) with excessive and unreasonable force to violently push, shove and throw (the) claimant against an automobile, to violently grab (her) and throw her to the ground, violently tackle (her) and push her against the macadam (parking-lot surface), and to violently place handcuffs on (her) wrists and then tighten handcuffs to such a severe degree to cause (her) substantial pain and personal injuries.”
The suit adds that officer M.J.B. “assaulted and battered (T.S.) with excessive and unreasonable force to violently push and shove (her) against the macadam and to violently place handcuffs on (her) wrists.”
Lake Placid attorney Matthew Norfolk represents T.S. Norfolk claims that his client required emergency medical care for bruises on her torso, arms, legs and wrists.
Norfolk has photographic evidence of T.S.’s injuries.
Lake Placid Police Chief Bill Moore confirmed that the complaint had been received and commented, “It came in as a Notice of Claim, and we've been backtracking to get all the facts.”
Chief Moore added, “There hasn't been a lawsuit filed with this department in the last 20 years. We were investigating a criminal complaint when this allegedly occurred.”
Norfolk also said that he has obtained video surveillance feed from the Hannaford store that corroborates his client’s claim.
Norfolk gave this timeline of events: “My client couldn't find her keys after coming out of the (Hannaford) store. She was in the parking lot looking for them when police pulled up behind her. The police…asked about contents of her purse, which had a pocketknife and a bottle of prescription medicine in it…the police asked for driver's license and registration. As she was sitting in the front seat, my client claims Officer (J.D.S.) opened the back door to her car. My client then reports she protested to the interrogation and search…she was in the front driver's seat with the door open. She moved to shut the back door of her car, and that's when Officer (J.D.S.) threw her up against the car…threw her against the ground and pushed her down and held her to the ground with his knee.”
Norfolk said that after the violent interrogation his client was handcuffed and seated in the back of the police cruiser. But then both T.S. and her friend were released, without being read their Miranda rights or charged with any crimes.
Of the incident, M.S., T.S.’s mother said, “She was crying, obviously shaken up…she called early to say she might need to go to the emergency (room); she was very scared. She had a welt on her rib and she didn't know if she had a broken rib. She did go to the emergency room. They took X-rays and told her she had a chest contusion. She is still seeking medical attention.”
If you have been hurt by the actions of another person you need to file a personal injury lawsuit – which oftentimes results in a monetary award. Contact a personal injury lawyer today!