YOUNGSTOWN - The Howland woman repeatedly shocked with a Taser by a Warren police officer last September outside a bar has filed a federal lawsuit against him, the city, the police chief and the safety service director.
Heidi Gill, 39, 700 Pintail Drive S.E., filed the suit Thursday in U.S. District Court. She is being represented by Boardman attorney Mark Hanni.
The suit names Officer Richard Kovach, the city, Chief John Mandopoulos and Safety-Service Director Doug Franklin. No specific dollar amount is mentioned, but Hanni said he is seeking several million dollars.
The suit claims violation of Gill's constitutional rights, assault and battery, emotional distress and false arrest.
A Sept. 2 video shot from the camera in Kovach's cruiser showed the officer using the Taser numerous times on Gill, twice while she was in handcuffs. The last jolt caused her to fall to the pavement where she was knocked unconscious. Prior to that, Gill is seen on tape trying to kick out a rear window of the cruiser.
The video shot in the parking lot of the Up A Creek bar received national attention.
The suit claims Kovach's "unlawful conduct resulting from the abusive and repeated use of his taser weapon caused her to fall to the ground twice striking her head with great force and violence, resulting in paralysis of her muscles, and loss of her mental faculties, thereby causing her to sustain multiple bodily injuries."
Gill claims she suffers from black outs, dizziness, seizures and pain - conditions that have required extensive medical treatment in excess of $10,000 and will continue to require future medical care.
She also claims the arrest was a violation of her Fourth and 14th Amendment rights.
The city, Mandopoulos and Franklin are being sued because they "ignored recommendations made by the U.S. Justice Department following an investigation it conducted concerning the policies and procedures of the Warren police department" and because Franklin and Mandopoulos "have condoned the misconduct of officers," the suit states.
Hanni said he and Gill plan to litigate the lawsuit to the end.
"The city of Warren has been sued too many times, and it's time for them to wake up and realize something is wrong," he said.
Mayor Michael J. O'Brien and Mandopoulos said they had not seen the lawsuit and could not comment.
Kovach, who is the defendant in another federal lawsuit filed over an illegal traffic stop last summer, did not return a message seeking comment Friday evening.
Gill could not be reached for comment.
She is due in Mahoning County Court in Austintown Monday on charges of assault, disorderly conduct while intoxicated and failure to desist after being arrested July 2 outside Denny's Restaurant in Austintown.