A man Baltimore County police mistook for a car thief filed an $850,000 lawsuit against the agency Tuesday.
Aaron Clark, of Baltimore City, paid around $2,000 in medical bills after sustaining injuries Aug. 13 at the hands of police officers, according to his lawsuit filed in Baltimore County Circuit Court.
“He was pretty much waiting for an apology, and he never got it,” said Clark’s attorney, C. Stephen Basinger, who alleges a violation of civil rights.
Around 5 p.m., three police cars stopped and surrounded Clark, who was driving his 1996 white Chevrolet Cavalier on Old Court Road near Park Heights Avenue.
The police cars forced Clark’s vehicle into the curb and onto the side of the road, the lawsuit states.
An officer pulled Clark from the car, threw him to the ground on top of a flashlight and put his knee in Clark’s spine.
Because he hadn’t had time to put the car in park, Clark’s car drifted, colliding with another officer’s vehicle.
Officers told Clark he was a felon with an open arrest warrant — which was untrue, Basinger wrote.
After 10 to 20 minutes, police told Clark he had been stopped for driving a stolen car, according to the lawsuit.
Clark was allowed to show police his driver’s license, registration and vehicle title, proving he owned the car.
Eventually police told Clark he was free to go, according to the lawsuit. His vehicle had suffered nearly $1,000 worth of damage.
“The question is: What should the cops do and what threat was this kid? It rattled him,” Basinger said.
Baltimore County police spokesman Cpl. Mike Hill said he cannot comment on pending litigation.
[email protected]
