An Auburn woman claims she suffered a concussion after police officers slammed her head onto her car’s hood during a routine traffic stop last October.
The lawsuit was first reported by The Citizen and was filed by Lessie Villalba in January.
It accuses four Auburn police officers of excessive force and negligence. Last week, Cayuga County Court Judge Thomas Leone allowed the case to proceed, denying the city’s motion to dismiss.
According to the suit, a simple traffic stop quickly escalated to a confrontation, in which the officer grabbed her keys and pulled her to the ground. Her head slammed off the hood of the vehicle during the incident and was diagnosed with a concussion.
The lawsuit seeks damages for alleged negligence and excessive force, claiming the incident resulted from a DMV error and could have been prevented.
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