A young mother from Lafayette, Louisiana, has filed a federal lawsuit alleging that her civil rights were violated during an unlawful traffic stop by local law enforcement. Bethany Dassinger initiated the complaint on December 20, 2024, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana against the Lafayette Consolidated Government and several officers from the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office.
According to the complaint, Dassinger was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by officers Brennan Miller and Michael Hiatt on December 22, 2023. The stop was allegedly due to a malfunctioning rear light. However, Dassinger claims there was no probable cause for the stop and that her rights were violated when she was unlawfully detained and assaulted by Officer Hiatt. "I can, you are detained right now," Hiatt reportedly stated before physically subduing Dassinger without reasonable suspicion of any crime. The complaint accuses the defendants of excessive force and retaliation for recording police activity on her phone, which is protected under the First Amendment.
Dassinger's lawsuit outlines multiple violations under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, including unlawful seizure and detention, excessive force, and retaliation for exercising free speech rights. She argues that these actions resulted in physical injuries requiring medical treatment and emotional distress. The complaint also alleges supervisory failures by Sheriff Mark Garber in training and overseeing his deputies adequately.
The plaintiff seeks compensatory damages exceeding $75,000 along with punitive damages against each defendant for their alleged malicious conduct. Additionally, she requests attorneys' fees under federal law provisions for civil rights violations.
Representing Bethany Dassinger are attorneys Johnae Jefcoat-Broussard and John Jefcoat from Galloway Jefcoat LLP. The case is presided over by unnamed judges within the Western District of Louisiana under Case ID: 6:24-cv-01778.