SCRANTON — A Northumberland County man is claiming he was beaten and suffered a fractured shoulder while in the custody of the Borough of Mount Carmel police.
Lucas Klingerman filed a complaint Sept. 13 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania against Jonathan McHugh, Evan Freiler, David Donkochik, Kyle Schauer and Borough of Mount Carmel alleging unreasonable and excessive force and other claims.
Klingerman alleges in his complaint that the defendant Mount Carmel officers intimidated and used excessive force including punching, kicking, choking, tasing and body-slamming on detainees in and around Mount Carmel.
He further alleges the defendants ensured the video of the arrests was not captured by police cameras or took steps to ensure incriminating video footage was not preserved. Klingerman claims that during his arrest on Sept. 30, 2021, he ran for one block and then stopped and put his hands in the air.
He alleges that despite surrendering, he was beaten while handcuffed, thrown to the pavement and suffered a fractured shoulder. Klingerman also alleges he was strip-searched, placed in a holding cell naked and told by defendant McHugh "If I had my way I'd make you disappear and no one would have to deal with you again."
Klingerman seeks monetary relief, interest, trial by jury and all other just relief. He is represented by Barry Dyller, Theron Solomon and Caelie Sweigart of Dyller & Solomon LLC in Wilkes-Barre.
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania case number 4:23-CV-01516