A Sarnia man is suing three city police officers and the Sarnia Police Services Board for $1.25-million after allegedly being assaulted and falsely arrested a year ago.
A statement of claim filed in Ontario Superior Court Thursday says 28-year-old Todd Campbell was beaten by an off-duty officer while inside a Rosedale Ave. convenience store on August 22, 2016.
In the statement, Campbell alleges he was dragged out of the store where the beating continued and was then arrested by responding officers.
The suit names the police services board, and officers Jeffrey Gark, Greg Armstrong and John Doe as defendants.
Lawyer Phillip Millar says in the fall of 2016, the matter went before a Justice of the Peace and resulted in formal charges being laid against Gark.
The officer pleaded guilty to assault and was sentenced to a conditional discharge and 12 months probation.
The lawsuit further alleges that within days of the incident the store surveillance video was deleted at the request of the officers, but criminal lawyer Sarah Donohue had recorded the footage on her cell phone before it was erased. She had initially helped Campbell file his complaint against police and had gone to the store and spoken with the manager.
The statement of claim says the identity of the third officer, listed as John Doe, is unknown to the plaintiff.
It also refers to burglaries having occurred in the area around that time.
Mayor Mike Bradley, chair of the police services board, said they were served late Friday, but will not be in a position to comment on a matter before the courts.
-With files from Dave Dentinger