Adrian woman sues Sylvania Township Police Department for $30 million for excessive force during traffic stop

SYLVANIA, Ohio — Adrian is suing the Sylvania Township Police Department and two of its officers for $30 million for allegedly using excessive force during a June 5, 2020, incident.

Attorneys for Kaitlin Taylor’s complaint was filed in the Northern Federal District Court of Ohio, accusing the department of battery, assault, violation of the Constitution and negligence or willful disregard for rights.

During the incident, Taylor was a grocery delivery driver trying to make a delivery to a home near McCord Road when officers pulled up next to her with their sirens off, believing she had expired plates.

Taylor’s attorney, Anthony J. Richardson II shared dashcam video of the incident.

In the video, Taylor, not yet seeing the parked cruiser behind her, began to pull out of the driveway. Officer John Tanner can be heard asking her to turn the car off several times.

As Taylor puts the car into park, Tanner can be heard telling the dispatcher that he is getting out of the car.

According to the complaint, Tanner pulls out a weapon and points it at Taylor, ordering her to drop her keys while holding her hands up.

Despite being confused by the teams, Taylor eventually exits the vehicle. The video shows Tanner quickly throwing her to the ground as she demands answers as to why this is happening.

Officer Michael Wyatt then joins in the arrest, at one point putting Taylor in a headlock as she screams that she’s pregnant.

At the time of the incident, Taylor was charged with obstruction of justice and resisting arrest. However, both charges were dismissed by a Sylvania Municipal Court judge.

Now, through her lawyers, Taylor is seeking what they call justice. Her attorney issued a statement regarding the incident, specifically saying:

“At all times, the officers acted within the law, and the mental and emotional harm they inflicted without legal justification will last long or forever on her and her family,” Richardson wrote. “Mrs. Taylor and her family wish to be well and to hold the authorities who have abused their power to the full extent of the law.”

WTOL 11 reached out to the Sylvania Township Police Department for comment and disciplinary reports for the two officers in question, but as of this writing, those reports had not been received.

Taylor’s attorneys are demanding a jury trial. A start date has yet to be announced, but WTOL 11 spoke with Taylor on Monday to find out her intentions for the case.