A Florida man has sued a Tennessee transport firm, a correctional facility, six officials and a municipal entity, alleging multiple counts of negligence and civil rights violations.
Darren Richardson of Spring Hill, Florida, filed a lawsuit May 29 in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania against: Prisoner Transport Services of America of Nashville; Pike County Correctional Facility; Craig A. Lowe; Jonathan J. Romance; Robert E. McLaughlin; Richard Caridi; Matthew M. Osterberg; and Karl Wagner; and Pike County commissioners of Milford, alleging negligence in a 2013 transport incident.
According to the complaint, Lowe is warden at the Lords County, Pennsylvania, correctional facility, Romance and McLaughlin were assistant wardens, and Caridi, Osterberg and Wagner were county commissioners. The suit says Pike County officials had issued an arrest warrant for Richardson for alleged failure to pay $250 upon completion of probation in early 2013, and that Richardson was detained and jailed for eight days in Brookville, Florida ,following a pullover for failing to obey a stop sign May 29, 2013.
The suit says, on June 5, 2013, when Pike County officials arranged to Richardson moved to the Lords Valley facility, the plaintiff was put into leg irons and shackles onto a bus, and did not eat or use the bathroom for four days. The complaint states officials: tried to extort Richardson's jewelry in exchange for food; used inmates’ debit cards for purchases; verbally abused Richardson; held a shotgun to his head; and urinated on him while driving through nine states between June 5 and June 15.
The complaint states Richardson’s legs began to deteriorate from confinement and lack of circulation and he could not walk or stand. Upon reaching the Lords Valley facility and receiving medical attention, his request for a civil rights (complaint) form was dismissed, the suit says.
The suit says Richardson sufferd post-traumatic stress, pain, suffering, disability, loss of a normal life, humiliation and embarrassment, The plaintiff cites negligence, assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and civil rights violations.
Richardson seeks: compensation in excess of $75,000; punitive damages; interest; attorney fees; and court costs. He is represented by attorney James Conaboy of Abrahamsen, Conaboy & Abrahamsen in Scranton.
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania case number: 3:15-cv-01061-ARC-JFS.