Texas City woman accuses police of false arrest, excessive force

GALVESTON - A Texas City woman alleges the Texas City Police Department falsely accused and arrested her for crimes she did not commit and is suing the city and Galveston County.

Signora Lynch claims Texas City police officers took her into custody in October 2007 for alleged assault, and then in October 2008, again on assault charges.

In the lawsuit filed Oct. 1 in Galveston County District Court, the plaintiff alleges authorities applied excessive force in each arrest, claiming the 2007 incident left her with a torn rotator cuff which required surgery.

Lynch insists the 2008 arrest occurred because police entered her home without a warrant. The officers arrested the plaintiff without reason, but later charged her with assault against her estranged spouse, the suit says.

She recalls being grabbed and spat on during the arrest as well as suffering additional injuries to her back, neck and knees after sitting in the back of a patrol car for more than two hours.

The charges from that arrest were dropped when it was learned that Lynch's husband never told authorities the plaintiff had assaulted him. Lynch had a valid restraining order against him at the time, according to the original petition.

The officers who reportedly carried out the most recent of the two arrests are named defendants in the case.

Consequently, Lynch seeks unspecified monetary damages and a jury trial.

She is represented by Baunchand & Assoc. and the Law Offices of John C. Osborne.

Galveston County 56th District Court Judge Lonnie Cox is presiding over the case.

Case No. 10-cv-3804