Woman claims relationship led to police harassment

GALVESTON - A Galveston County woman alleges she was terminated from her job with the city of Texas City last year because she ended a relationship with her supervisor.

Latasha Olivares claims the Texas City Police Department harassed her because she refused to rekindle a romantic relationship with Police Cpl. Elroy Montgomery.

The suit against the city was filed May 6 in Galveston County District Court.

Olivares worked in the Texas City jail from October 2004 to January 2009. She entered into the relationship in question with Montgomery during that time, the original petition says.

The plaintiff broke up with the police officer in September 2007.

Montgomery consequently assaulted her and continuously harassed her, ostensibly in an attempt to restart the relationship, the suit says.

Olivares explains that the corporal arranged to have himself appointed as her supervisor and set up her work schedule so as to have her work at the same time as him.

"While they were on duty together, Montgomery constantly made suggestive and offensive comments and continuously made attempts to resume a romantic relationship with Olivares, who now reported directly to Montgomery," the suit says.

The plaintiff claims Montgomery would drive by her house when she was off-duty and, upon information and belief, called in license plate numbers of vehicles parked in front to the police dispatcher in order to see who might be visiting her.

"When Montgomery's attempts did not convince Olivares to change her mind, Montgomery began to write Olivares up for non-existent infractions in retaliation for rejecting his advances," the suit says.

In October 2008, Olivares filed a complaint only to be fired about two months later.

She seeks unspecified monetary damages and a jury trial.

Attorney Josef P. Buenker of Houston is representing the plaintiff, and Galveston County 56th District Court Judge Lonnie Cox is presiding over the case.

Case No. 10-cv-1222