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PENNSYLVANIA RECORD

Saturday, April 27, 2024

Woman's lawsuit says Panda Express called police for no reason, leading to wrongful arrest

Federal Court
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PITTSBURGH - An alleged drive-through mixup ended up in a federal lawsuit against the Panda Express on William Penn Hwy. in Monroeville.

The complaint was filed by plaintiff Diana Broadnax on April 19 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania against Panda Express, Monroeville police officer Steven Pascarella and one more unidentified Monroeville officer. 

Broadnax says she purchased a to-go order from the restaurant on May 5, 2019, and realized when she got home that she had been given the wrong order. 

The plaintiff says she returned to the restaurant and, upon requesting the correct order, was angrily yelled at by the Panda Express manager and ordered to leave.

The manager then called the Monroeville Police Department and reported that the plaintiff was publicly intoxicated and disorderly, the suit says. 

Broadnax says she was not intoxicated or disorderly and that the manager's behavior was unjustified. 

The plaintiff further accuses Pascarella of immediately shouting profanities at her upon getting out of his car. She states that the entire incident of the manager calling the police up to her arrest was unwarranted and unjustified. 

The defendants are charged with false arrest, excessive force, malicious prosecution, negligence and constitutional rights violations. Broadnax is represented by the Law Office of Timothy P. O'Brien of Pittsburgh. 

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