WHEELING — An Ohio man is suing Cabela's alleging that it and the Ohio County Sheriff's Department defamed him.
The lawsuit names Cabela's, Ohio County Deputy Sheriff Matthew Hronek and the Ohio County Commission, claiming they wrongfully accused Dominick Piatt of theft and other crimes, according to a complaint filed in Ohio Circuit Court.
Piatt claims in June 2019, the defendants published false and unprivileged statements about him and caused damage to his reputation and exposed him to ridicule, hatred, shame, disgrace and/or contempt.
The plaintiff didn't know he had been defamed by the defendants until Jan. 21, 2020, according to the suit. Piatt also claims he suffered special harm and damages due to the published false allegations.
"The defendants had knowledge of or acted in reckless disregard as to the falsity of the publicized matter and the false light in which the plaintiff would be placed," the complaint states.
Piatt is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. He is represented by Theodore L. Tsoras of Tsoras Law Office in Powhatan Point, Ohio.
Ohio Circuit Court case number: 21-C-9