The quest for a container to hold "holy water" ended badly for Crashunda Dixson when Family Dollar employees reacted to the store alarm and frisked her as she attempted to leave.
Dixson claimed she could not find a "suitable holy water container" and "was in the process of leaving the store" when the alarm sounded. Humiliated and embarrassed, Dixson filed suit against Family Dollar Stores with the Jefferson County Court at Law No. 1 on Dec. 12.
According to her petition, on July 25, 2006 Dixson was shopping at the 11th Street Family Dollar. After the alarm sounded, store employees stopped her and "began pulling things out of her purse."
The police were called, and Dixson was forced to endure the humiliating experience of having her purse searched in front of other customers.
"Plaintiff, secure in the knowledge that she had not stolen anything, went out to her car to wait for the police…," the suit said.
"Plaintiff voluntarily emptied her purse on the hood of her car and showed the police what apparently had triggered the buzzer. All this was done in the presence of the public generally and customers at the store."
The suit continues by saying police let Dixson go after they searched her belongings. "All of this could have been easily avoided, except for being mishandled by the over-anxious employees of the Family Dollar Stores of Texas."
Dixson is suing for her humiliation and is represented by the Law Offices of Woodson E. Dryden.
Judge Alfred Gerson has been assigned to the case.
Case No. 109910