Professional Documents
Culture Documents
:
C. HUFF, # 44105 :
2501 Bath Road :
Bristol, PA 19007 :
:
K. CARRAGHER, # 37059 :
2501 Bath Road :
Bristol, PA 19007 :
:
BRIAN HYAMS, # 44042 :
2501 Bath Road :
Bristol, PA 19007 :
:
M. SHEEHY, # 22331 :
2501 Bath Road :
Bristol, PA 19007 :
:
J. HORDIJENKO, # 22362 :
2501 Bath Road :
Bristol, PA 19007 :
:
D. CLIFTON, # 52037:
2501 Bath Road :
Bristol, PA 19007 :
:
L. HILGMAN, # 42029 :
2501 Bath Road :
Bristol, PA 19007 :
:
J. LANDIS, # 42050 :
2501 Bath Road :
Bristol, PA 19007 :
:
L. MATHEWS, # 46005 :
2501 Bath Road :
Bristol, PA 19007 :
Case 2:19-cv-01278-MSG Document 1 Filed 03/27/19 Page 3 of 24
:
NICHOLAS PHILLIPPE, # 34113 :
188 Lincoln Highway, Suite 100 :
Fairless Hills, PA 19030 :
:
ANTON SPIRITOSANTO, # 34088:
188 Lincoln Highway, Suite 100 :
Fairless Hills, PA 19030 :
:
MICHAEL PARNES, # 34119 :
188 Lincoln Highway, Suite 100 :
Fairless Hills, PA 19030 :
:
EDWARD ELMORE, # 34084 :
188 Lincoln Highway, Suite 100 :
Fairless Hills, PA 19030 :
:
WILLIAM TANNER, # 34118 :
188 Lincoln Highway, Suite 100 :
Fairless Hills, PA 19030 :
:
MATTHEW KILLEEN, # 34107 :
188 Lincoln Highway, Suite 100 :
Fairless Hills, PA 19030 :
:
LEVITTOWN FAIRLESS HILLS :
RESCUE SQUAD, INC. :
7405 New Falls Road :
Levittown, PA 19055 :
:
GEORGE PETTIT :
7405 New Falls Road :
Levittown, PA 19055 :
:
ANTHONY LOGUE :
7405 New Falls Road :
Levittown, PA 19055 :
Case 2:19-cv-01278-MSG Document 1 Filed 03/27/19 Page 4 of 24
:
CHRISTOPHER WOODS :
7405 New Falls Road :
Levittown, PA 19055 :
:
and :
:
MICHAEL STEBULIS :
7405 New Falls Road :
Levittown, PA 19055, :
:
Defendants :
Case 2:19-cv-01278-MSG Document 1 Filed 03/27/19 Page 5 of 24
CIVIL COMPLAINT
JURISDICTION
PARTIES
3. At the time of the events which form the basis of this action,
that owns, operates, manages, directs and controls the Bristol Police
as indicated below.
controls the Falls Township Police Department and is the public employer of
12. Defendant Shawn Lyons was at all relevant times a Bristol Police
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13. Defendant C. Huff was at all relevant times a Bristol Police Officer
15. Defendant Brian Hyams was at all relevant times a Bristol Police
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24. Defendant Michael Parnes was at all relevant times a Falls Police
25. Defendant Edward Elmore was at all relevant times a Falls Police
26. Defendant William Tanner was at all relevant times a Falls Police
27. Defendant Matthew Killeen was at all relevant times a Falls Police
29. Defendant Levittown Fairless Hills Rescue Squad, Inc., was at all
Stebulis, named below, and is liable for their actions and inaction.
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Rescue Squad, Inc., providing 9-1-1 ambulance service and medical care.
36. At all relevant times, all Defendants were acting under color of
state law.
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37. At all relevant times, the actions taken by all Defendants deprived
concert and conspiracy and their actions deprived Plaintiff of his constitutional
FACTUAL ALLEGATIONS
39. On April 2, 2017, Plaintiff was in the driver’s seat of his vehicle,
Pennsylvania.
40. At all relevant times the vehicle was parked and not running.
42. Present were Plaintiff’s nephew and Plaintiff’s four minor children.
43. Plaintiff’s nephew called 911 and reported that his uncle was
experiencing a seizure.
Plaintiff's home.
45. The dispatcher informed Police and EMTs, including the individual
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"post-ictal" state.
medical condition.
disobedience.
50. Although Plaintiff was not a threat to any officer, EMT, any other
person or himself, the individual defendants used physical force against him,
four days with multiple injuries, including to his ribs, kidneys, back, face and
head.
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53. Plaintiff was arrested and charged with felony aggravated assault,
multiple counts of simple assault, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and two
counts of harassment.
$40,000.
56. On January 30, 2018, a jury sitting in the Bucks County Court of
misconduct of the defendant officers and thus constituted a violation of, and
disorder/epilepsy.
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60. The individual Defendants were aware that Plaintiff was suffering
61. The individual Defendants did not account for the information they
observed.
situation.
injury to Plaintiff.
suffering from a seizure and its after effects, created or increased the danger
of injury to Plaintiff.
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68. At no time did the Plaintiff pose a threat of harm to the individual
69. At no time did Plaintiff commit an offense against the laws of the
71. It is the policy, practice and custom of Bristol and Falls that
72. The actions and conduct of the individual Defendants were the
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74. Defendants Gaffney and Hilgman bear supervisory liability for the
76. Defendants knew or should have known that their actions and
77. Defendants knew or should have known that their actions and
Plaintiff.
79. All the individual Defendants engaged in the aforesaid conduct for
prosecution.
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misconduct.
81. The actions and conduct of the individual Defendants were willful,
Defendants, Plaintiff was caused serious injuries and thereby caused to also
83. Plaintiff has suffered pecuniary loss, to his great detriment, and
prosecution.
harass and retaliate against Plaintiff by singling him out for police observation
and following him when he is driving, in the hope of spotting a traffic violation
or other conduct which they can use to justify retaliatory arrest, citations, or
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other punishment.
Plaintiff suffered and will in the future suffer physical injuries, pain, emotional
distress, psychological harm, fear, horror and additional harms caused by the
violation of his rights under the United States Constitution, 42 U.S.C. §§1983,
deprive Plaintiff of his right to be free from the unreasonable use of force,
property, to due process and equal protection of the law, and to his right of
rights under the laws and Constitution of the United States, in particular the
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aftereffects;
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discipline officers, who are aware of and conceal and/or aid and abet
causing and encouraging police, including the defendant officers in this case,
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91. Defendants Bristol and Falls failed to supervise and audit the
conduct and training of the Rescue Squad, to whom they outsourced 9-1-1
by reason of his health disability, denying him the benefits of the services,
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treatment by virtue of his disability, and to due process and equal protection
of the law. As a result, Plaintiff suffered harm in violation of his rights under
the laws and Constitution of the United States, the ADA and § 504.
97. Defendants Bristol, Falls and Rescue Squad have failed to comply
with the mandates of the ADA and § 504 in the following areas:
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101. The acts and conduct of the individual defendants constituted the
and had the authority to intervene to aid and protect Plaintiff, and the ability
their duty to Plaintiff, knowing or having reason to know that their acts and
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damages as aforesaid.
professional negligence.
107. Defendant Rescue Squad vicariously liable for the acts and
omissions of the EMT Defendants, each of whom was acting within the course
these claims.
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JURY DEMAND
jointly and severally, as to each count, along with costs, attorney’s fees,
and further relief as the Court may deem just and proper.
Alan L. Yatvin,
and with him
Howard D. Popper,
230 South Broad Street, Suite 503
Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215)546-5700
Popper.yatvin@verizon.net
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