Bucks County police department sued for excessive use of taser

A Bucks County man has filed a federal lawsuit at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern

District of Pennsylvania against two Central Bucks law enforcement agencies for use of excessive force during his arrest in 2012.

Jason Hill, of Wismer Road in Doylestown, claims that the officers used their tasers to subdue him, then beat him while he was on the ground. The incident caused Hill injuries to his head and neck, cervical pain, scarring from the taser and psychological damage, the complaint says.

According to the claim, Hill was at the Farmhouse Tavern on North Main Street in Doylestown when officers from the Doylestown Borough and the Plumstead Township police departments arrived to take Hill into custody for disorderly conduct. Hill contends that the arrest was unlawful and without probable cause.

During the arrest, officers shot Hill with their tasers and shocked him several times, the complaint says. After he fell to the ground, Hill was dragged outside to the parking lot, where officers allegedly beat him with their hands and feet.

Hill has sued not only the police officers directly involved with the incident, but also the townships and the police chiefs for not properly training the department on the appropriate use for tasers.

The plaintiff seeks damages in excess of $150,000 for six counts of injury, including violations of his constitutional rights to be free from illegal search and seizure, false arrest and imprisonment, and extreme and unwarranted excessive force. His wife, Elsa Hill, has also sued the departments for loss of consortium with her husband.

Hill is represented by Edith Pearce from the Pearce Law Firm in Doylestown.

The federal case ID number is 2:14-cv-02975-GP.