Personal Injury Law

Chicago Injury Prompts Diabetic to File Police Brutality Lawsuit

Chicago resident Rolan D. Johnson says he sustained personal injuries and other damages when he was unjustly arrested by a Glenwood police officer in 2007. Jones says the incident happened when he was driving home from Hodgkins where he works at a UPS facility. He is suing the Glenwood Police Department for false arrest, battery, and malicious prosecution.

Johnson is a diabetic. He says that he was beginning to go into a diabetic coma because his body temperature and blood sugar were falling when Officer Daniel Fisher apprehended him. According to the police officer?s report, he stopped the 47-year-old Chicago resident because he was driving erratically.

Johnson then drove off, nearly striking Fisher with his car before stopping his vehicle on the side of the road. Fisher then broke the window on the driver side and pulled the driver out of the car.

The report says that Johnson tried to kick Fisher and pulled away violently while the police officer was handcuffing him. Johnson?s attorney, however, says that Johnson may have been behaving like he was drunk, but he was in fact was undergoing a medical emergency.

According to Johnson?s Chicago injury lawsuit, the glass shards that came from the broken window, as well as Fisher?s baton, hit him on the face. Johnson then claims that the Glenwood police officer threw him onto the ground and kicked, punched, and choked him a number of times. At this point, Johnson says he was in a semi-comatose state.

EMS workers who arrived at the scene confirmed that Johnson was experiencing hypoglycemia. They had to give him dextrose to elevate his blood sugar count, which had dropped to 26. 80 ? 120 is considered normal.

Fisher charged Johnson with numerous traffic violation charges and with resisting arrest. A Cook County judge later dismissed the latter charge.

Johnson says his 14th and 4th Amendment rights were not protected during the arrest, which was unwarranted and maliciously prosecuted. He says he was beaten and, as a result, he sustained closed head injuries, permanent eye damage, and serious emotional distress. He also lost wages because he had to take time off work to recover. He now has legal bills because of what happened.

Johnson is seeking at least $150,000 in Chicago police brutality damages.

Diabetic sues over injuries during Glenwood traffic stop, Chicago Tribune, August 12, 2009

Suit claims Glenwood police officer beat man having diabetic attack, Southtown Star, August 6, 2009

Full post as published by Chicago Injury Attorney Blog on August 12, 2009 (boomark / email).