Post by: RadioFreeSeaLab on November 19, 2007, 11:20:23 AM
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TINLEY PARK, Ill. (STNG) -- The owner of a Tinley Park pizza joint is seeking $2 million in damages from the village and a Tinley Park police officer who allegedly Tasered him this summer, sending the restaurant owner into convulsions and causing him to bite off a piece of his tongue.
Alexander Mendez, who with his wife owns Guardi's Pizza and Catering, 16711 S. 80th Ave., filed a lawsuit Thursday in the federal court. The couple said Officer Joseph Vega shot Mendez in the head and shoulders with a Taser gun as part of a failed prank last June.
Police Chief Michael O'Connell referred questions about the incident to village administration. Mayor Ed Zabrocki said the Taser shot was an accident and all Taser guns were recalled after the incident.
Vega was disciplined for taking the Taser gun out of his holster, Zabrocki said. Zabrocki said attorneys advised him not to provide any more details.
According to the lawsuit, about 9 p.m. June 15, Vega came to Guardi's and ordered pasta salad. When Mendez walked into the cooler to get the food, Vega asked Mendez's wife if she wanted to see Vega scare her husband. She said "no," according to court documents.
Then, Vega allegedly pointed the gun at Mendez's head and fired, causing the prongs to stick to Mendez's right temple and collarbone. Mendez went into convulsions and later became unconscious. He also bit off a piece of his tongue, the lawsuit said.
Vega is accused of immediately removing the Taser prongs, which caused Mendez to bleed profusely. Vega then called for back-up, and a supervisor and two detectives showed up and confiscated bloody towels, Mendez's bloody glasses, the Taser prongs and the video surveillance equipment in the restaurant, the lawsuit claims.
Reading a prepared statement, Zabrocki said Vega was conducting a routine check on the business when he noticed his Taser safety deactivated. While resecuring it, the Taser accidentally discharged, striking Mendez in the head and chest and knocking him to the ground, Zabrocki said.
Mendez was sent to a local hospital, treated for his injuries and released the next day, Zabrocki said.
Vega "suffered a stress reaction" and was sent to the hospital and released, the mayor said.
http://www.wbbm780.com/Tinley-Park--Cop-Sued-For-Taser-Shooting/1219787
Police investigated the incident, recalled all Tasers issued to officers and sent the devices to Taser International Incorporated in Scottsdale, Ariz., to test for defects, Zabrocki said. All Tasers were returned certified and approved for continued use, he said.
All 79 of Tinley Park's police officers have a Taser gun, the mayor said.
Zabrocki said he could not comment on evidence collected at the scene.
Mendez and his wife continue to suffer physical and emotional pain and have lost income because of the incident, the lawsuit alleges. They could not be reached for comment.
A trial date has not been scheduled for the case
Alexander Mendez, who with his wife owns Guardi's Pizza and Catering, 16711 S. 80th Ave., filed a lawsuit Thursday in the federal court. The couple said Officer Joseph Vega shot Mendez in the head and shoulders with a Taser gun as part of a failed prank last June.
Police Chief Michael O'Connell referred questions about the incident to village administration. Mayor Ed Zabrocki said the Taser shot was an accident and all Taser guns were recalled after the incident.
Vega was disciplined for taking the Taser gun out of his holster, Zabrocki said. Zabrocki said attorneys advised him not to provide any more details.
According to the lawsuit, about 9 p.m. June 15, Vega came to Guardi's and ordered pasta salad. When Mendez walked into the cooler to get the food, Vega asked Mendez's wife if she wanted to see Vega scare her husband. She said "no," according to court documents.
Then, Vega allegedly pointed the gun at Mendez's head and fired, causing the prongs to stick to Mendez's right temple and collarbone. Mendez went into convulsions and later became unconscious. He also bit off a piece of his tongue, the lawsuit said.
Vega is accused of immediately removing the Taser prongs, which caused Mendez to bleed profusely. Vega then called for back-up, and a supervisor and two detectives showed up and confiscated bloody towels, Mendez's bloody glasses, the Taser prongs and the video surveillance equipment in the restaurant, the lawsuit claims.
Reading a prepared statement, Zabrocki said Vega was conducting a routine check on the business when he noticed his Taser safety deactivated. While resecuring it, the Taser accidentally discharged, striking Mendez in the head and chest and knocking him to the ground, Zabrocki said.
Mendez was sent to a local hospital, treated for his injuries and released the next day, Zabrocki said.
Vega "suffered a stress reaction" and was sent to the hospital and released, the mayor said.
http://www.wbbm780.com/Tinley-Park--Cop-Sued-For-Taser-Shooting/1219787
Police investigated the incident, recalled all Tasers issued to officers and sent the devices to Taser International Incorporated in Scottsdale, Ariz., to test for defects, Zabrocki said. All Tasers were returned certified and approved for continued use, he said.
All 79 of Tinley Park's police officers have a Taser gun, the mayor said.
Zabrocki said he could not comment on evidence collected at the scene.
Mendez and his wife continue to suffer physical and emotional pain and have lost income because of the incident, the lawsuit alleges. They could not be reached for comment.
A trial date has not been scheduled for the case
It accidentally went off. And hit the guy in the head. Accidentally. Routine check.
Post by: RevDisk on November 19, 2007, 12:12:34 PM
Ok, so you have two sides of an argument.
Pizza owner and wife says the guy meant it as a prank, apparently. A prank involving shooting said pizza guy in the face with a taser, zapping him, ripping out the prongs, and impounding (probably destroying) all evidence.
Police officer's story is that he was thoroughly incompotent. He's arguing that he was safetying his taser, WHILE AIMED AT THE PIZZA GUY'S HEAD! And no explaination for impounding all of the evidence.
Am I the only person thinking that even if you believe the officer's story, he deserves to be fired? Either for incompotence and poor judgement (for zapping a pizza guy as a joke), or for incompotence and poor judgement (aiming at a pizza guy's head while safetying weapon).
Post by: never_retreat on November 19, 2007, 12:58:39 PM
Post by: yesitsloaded on November 19, 2007, 01:00:43 PM
Post by: atomd on November 19, 2007, 01:28:41 PM
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Vega asked Mendez's wife if she wanted to see Vega scare her husband.
Sounds like it scared the tongue out of him! Next tuesday's special...Tongue pizza!
Post by: RoadKingLarry on November 19, 2007, 02:02:31 PM
Post by: jeepmor on November 20, 2007, 05:25:05 AM
win-win if I ever saw one.
See, cops can be just as dumb as the rest of society.
Post by: HankB on November 20, 2007, 05:32:14 AM
If the situation is ANYTHING at all like what the cop said, he needs to be fired.
In EITHER case, the police department ought to be writing the pizza shop owner a big, fat check.
Post by: MechAg94 on November 20, 2007, 06:33:59 AM
Post by: Antibubba on November 20, 2007, 07:33:13 PM
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recalled all Tasers issued to officers and sent the devices to Taser International Incorporated in Scottsdale, Ariz., to test for defects, Zabrocki said. All Tasers were returned certified and approved for continued use, he said.
TRANSLATION: The Police Department was trying to shift the blame to the device, and Taser found nothing wrong with any of them.
Mr. Mendez is going to own Tinley Park by the time this ends.
I'd like to see LawDog's take on this.