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Article published Jun 25, 2009 Townsend man's lawsuit claims police assault
By Darren Dunlap of The Daily Times Staff
A Townsend resident claims he was assaulted by a police officer over his complaints about barking dogs.
Aaron Todd Pangle, Old Tuckaleechee Road, Townsend, filed suit in Blount County Circuit Court on Monday against the Townsend Police Department and TPD Officer Bill Allen over a June 2008 incident.
Allen referred questions about the litigation to attorneys representing the city of Townsend.In the lawsuit, Pangle alleged he called the Townsend Police Department last June over a neighbor's dogs, which were barking and allowed to "run at large." He stated it wasn't his first call for assistance on the matter.
He said he'd become frustrated with the "lack of assistance" from the responding officer, Allen, on previous calls. Pangle began videotaping Allen when the officer responded to calls to Pangle's home and he posted the videos and comments on the Web, according to the suit.
The repeated phone calls and the video allegedly frustrated Allen, Pangle claimed in the lawsuit.
On June 22, 2008, Pangle also claimed in the lawsuit that Allen came out to the residence over another barking dogs complaint, "failed to take any action" and "disputed his authority" to do so with Pangle.
Pangle "verbally expressed his frustration" to Allen and the officer allegedly shoved him to the ground, injuring him.
The lawsuit doesn't specify the type of injury that Pangle allegedly sustained.
Pangle claimed he was then wrongfully arrested on charges of assault and resisting arrest.
According to an affidavit of complaint regarding the arrest, Pangle was accused of cursing at and making aggressive and threatening moves at Allen on June 22, 2008, when the officer responded to check out Pangle's complaint of barking dogs near his residence.
"The actions of Allen amount additionally to the intentional infliction of emotional distress," according to the lawsuit Pangle filed.
He has asked the courts for a jury trial and the maximum amount of compensatory damages allowed under Tennessee law.