Man hit by police vehicle claims rights violated

By Erik Ricasa

Published on July 22, 2005

Andrew Alexander is seeking more than $4.5 million dollars in damages and punitive awards from the Unified Government, the police department, and the officer involved.

The defendants were negligent and careless, according to the suit, and violated Alexander's rights. It claims the police failed to properly train officers and allows them to travel at high speeds on city streets without using warning lights or sirens. The suit also claims Officer Christopher Heaton violated Alexander's rights when Heaton drove over Alexander after first knocking him to the ground with his unmarked truck.

Alexander's suit claims Heaton intentionally ran over Alexander October 29, and that the officer only returned to check on him after driving to a nearby vacant lot and letting a passenger out of his truck.

Hal Walker, chief counsel for the Unified Government, had no comment, pending a review of the lawsuit.

The suit claims Alexander suffered a bruised spinal cord, for which surgery was required, and injuries to his back, chest, and head, as well as psychological injuries.

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