OCALA – A Marion County couple has filed a lawsuit against the City of Ocala claiming a police officer stopped them without cause and made an unjustified arrest.
Plaintiffs Sterling Hope III and Bonnie Hope filed a lawsuit in federal court against the City of Ocala, Florida, and Officer Natawi Chin, citing allegations of unlawful stop, detention, and interrogation, false arrest/false imprisonment and loss of consortium.
According to court documents, on July 13, 2022, Chin stopped Sterling Hope, a Black man, for a supposed window tint violation. The lawsuit claims the stop was unjustified and Chin made the stop with the intention of finding an opportunity to conduct an illegal search and make a drug-related arrest.
Following the stop, Chin allegedly claimed to smell marijuana in the vehicle, leading to an unlawful search. No marijuana was found, but prescription medication was confiscated without proper investigation or field testing. Consequently, Hope was arrested for possession of oxycodone, a charge that later was dismissed.
Because of his wrongful arrest by Chin, Hope claims he has suffered loss of liberty and freedom, mental anguish, humiliation and damage to his reputation. Bonnie Hope claims that, as a result of Chin's actions, she was made to experience mental and emotional anguish and was caused to suffer the loss of her husband's companionship, support and consortium.
The plaintiffs are demanding a jury trial to seek damages plus court costs and any other relief the court deems proper. They are represented by Daniel P. Faherty of Telfer, Faherty & Anderson in Titusville.
U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, Ocala Division, case number 5:23-cv-00606