Police officer sues after stolen truck rammed into cruiser

CHARLESTON - A Charleston police officer has filed a suit against a Kanawha County man after the man rammed a stolen truck into the police cruiser the officer was driving.

Craig Dickinson filed a suit Jan. 8 in Kanawha Circuit Court against Timothy Hannigan and Robert Lee Legg, Jr.

According to the suit, Legg stole Hannigan's 1997 Ford pickup truck in the early morning of Dec. 5, 2006. The vehicle was parked outside Hannigan's house, with the door unlocked and the keys in the vehicle.

The suit says Hannigan called the police to report the theft, and Dickinson responded.

Dickinson claims Legg used the truck to ram his cruiser, which made the cruiser inoperable. The collision also severely injured Dickinson.

According to the suit, Dickinson received treatment for his injuries after the collision and continues to receive treatment.

Hannigan is named as a defendant in the suit because he left his car unlocked with the keys in it, which allowed Legg to take it and use it to hit Dickinson.

In the three-count suit, Dickinson seeks compensatory and punitive damages for his injuries.

Attorney Teresa C. Toriseva is representing Dickinson. The case has been assigned to Judge Irene Berger.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number 08-C-46