A $1.5 million lawsuit has been filed against the city Chattanooga and a police officer by a couple whose husband was arrested and jailed after rushing his wife to the hospital with a suspected stroke.
Jesse and Aline Wright filed the lawsuit today in Hamilton County Chancery Court.
In the lawsuit, Jesse Wright, who was arrested on seven counts, claims that he was assaulted, falsely arrested and imprisoned and subjected to malicious prosecution and civil rights violations.
The lawsuit also accuses the arresting officer, Chattanooga police Officer James Daves, of using excessive force.
The charges against Jesse Wright were later dropped and police officials apologized to the couple.
On Wednesday, June 16, the Wrights were rushing to Erlanger hospital, worried that Aline Wright was suffering from a stroke. She is a cancer survivor who has heart problems due to chemotherapy.
Jesse Wright ran two red lights on the way to the hospital and Daves pursued the couple to the doors of the Erlanger emergency room. Daves and Jesse Wright had a confrontation and Daves accused the husband of assaulting him.
Daves was placed on leave after the arrest.
For complete details, see tomorrow's Times Free Press.