A $40.5 million lawsuit claims a Yonkers, NY., police officer struck a man in the face with a baton and fractured his jaw while questioning him about a hit-and-run accident.
It names the city of Yonkers and Officers Juan Ojeda and Michelle Piciulli.
Clayton Hairston filed the federal lawsuit on Monday.
He also claims that two plainclothes officers attempted to coerce his wife into changing her written statement about the incident.
The Journal News says the suit alleges Piciulli did nothing to stop Ojeda from striking Hairston.
Hairston says they came to his house to question him about a “minor fender-bender.”
The city didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
The criminal case against Hairston is still pending.
The lawsuit alleges excessive force, violations of constitutional rights, assault and battery.
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