CHARLESTON – A Richwood man has filed a suit against the city and its chief of police over allegations he was physically assaulted by the officer.
Jonathan H. Johnson filed a complaint in Nicholas Circuit Court against the city of Richwood and Allen Cogar alleging excessive force, battery and unlawful arrest.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges Cogar, the chief of police for the Richwood Police Department, entered his property on Feb. 24, 2018, and began to assault the plaintiff without any provocation or just cause. The plaintiff alleges he was handcuffed and dragged through his yard and before he was placed the defendant's cruiser. The plaintiff also alleges Cogar verbally and physically assaulted him while at the Richwood Police Department headquarters.
The plaintiff alleges he was arrested without a warrant for the offenses of obstructing, public intoxication, disorderly conduct and trespassing when asked to leave.
The plaintiff is seeking all reasonable sums due, attorney fees and court costs. He is represented by James R. Milam II of Summersville.
The city of Richwood removed the case to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia in Charleston on March 20.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia case number 2:19-CV-00197