LAFAYETTE — A man who was shot after fleeing from a police officer is suing the officer and the parish government, alleging he was illegally arrested and deprived of his liberty.
Tevin Lewis filed a complaint on Sept. 12 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana against defendants Dwight Huval, the officer, and the Lafayette Consolidated Government, alleging that they subjected him to unreasonable use of seizure and force.
In his complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on Sept. 12, 2015, he was lawfully talking to friends in his neighborhood when officers abruptly approached them. A brief chase followed, ending up with the plaintiff being shot by Huval. Lewis fell forward and severely injured his face, the complaint said. The result of the unlawful arrest caused him to be incarcerated and denied the rights of life and liberty, according to the lawsuit. The plaintiff holds Huval and the Lafayette government responsible because the defendants allegedly failed to adequately train, supervise and discipline officers and failed to take reasonable steps to ensure that the public would not be subjected to violations of their civil rights.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment for compensatory damages, attorney fees, expenses and costs of litigation and for any additional relief available. He is represented by John Milton of John W. Milton, Attorney at Law in Lafayette and Carol Powell Lexing of Law Office of Carol D. Powell Lexing & Associates PLC in Monroe.
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana Case number 6:16-cv-01280