Suit: CPD ran over man with squad car, left him pinned under vehicle as he had seizure

SHARE Suit: CPD ran over man with squad car, left him pinned under vehicle as he had seizure

Chicago Police ran over an epileptic man with their squad car and left him underneath the vehicle as he had a seizure, calling for backup instead of helping him first, a newly filed federal lawsuit claims.

Charles Griffin filed the lawsuit Monday in U.S. District Court. In the filing, he alleges that about 5:45 p.m. on May 27, 2013, he was near the intersection of Roosevelt and Central Park when a squad car carrying several Chicago Police officers pulled up close and nearly hit him.

Griffin, then 23, moved back to avoid the car. Officers followed Griffin, eventually hitting him in the back with the squad car and running him over on a nearby parkway, the suit stated.

“After Defendant Officers ran over Plaintiff with their squad car, dragging Plaintiff approximately 10 feet, the Defendant Officers’ vehicle stopped on top of Plaintiff, rendering him immobile,” the suit stated.

Once under the car, Griffin began to have an epileptic seizure. His mother arrived at the scene soon after and told police about Griffin’s epilepsy, but officers called for backup first and Griffin remained under the car for 10 minutes until an ambulance arrived, the suit said.

Griffin maintains that he was not breaking any laws when he was run over and that the use of force by officers was not justified.

The suit goes on to allege that the officers “attempted to conceal the nature and/or events surrounding [Griffin’s] injury by falsely accusing [Griffin] of engaging in conduct which could justify excessive use of force.”

Several unnamed officers and the City of Chicago were listed as defendants. A spokesman from the city’s Law Department said that he could not comment because city officials had not yet seen the lawsuit.

The four-count suit alleges a violation of Griffin’s civil rights and seeks an undisclosed amount in damages.

The Latest
Playing time has dwindled for Tinordi, a physical defensive defenseman who was a pleasant surprise for the Hawks last season but hasn’t found nearly as much success without Connor Murphy.
His surgeons spent 10 hours transplanting his new lungs and liver in September. Six months after the operation, Dr. Gary Gibbon remains cancer-free, able to breathe on his own and celebrated his 69th birthday on Wednesday.
White Sox fans from all over will flock to Guaranteed Rate Field on Thursday for the team’s home opener against the Tigers.
The lawsuit challenges Illinois’ counting of mail-in-ballots after election day, and has potential impact in this presidential election year.
Donald Trump is selling $60 Bibles, and if Jesus had not been resurrected, he most certainly would be rolling over in his grave.