HOUSTON — A Houston man is suing the city, Harris County, a Houston police sergeant and an administrative assistant at the District Attorney’s Office, alleging an unlawful arrest.
Craig A. Washington filed a lawsuit Feb. 10 in the Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas against Sgt. Jose Salazar, Clayton N. Scott, the city of Houston and Harris County.
According to the complaint, on Feb. 14, 2014, Washington was sleeping in his bed when he heard the noise in his back yard of bottles being broken. The suit says Washington went outside holding a 12-gauge shotgun and found the broken bottles.
The suit further alleges officers from the Houston Police Department arrived on the scene, determined Washington didn’t violate any laws and allowed the plaintiff to return to his home.
The lawsuit states Salazar then arrived on the scene, and arrested and jailed Washington despite being informed by the other officers that the plaintiff had not committed any crime. The suit says Salazar also gave the Harris County District Attorney’s Office false information for illegal possession of a “handgun” and Scott swore in an affidavit that Washington was unlawfully carrying a handgun.
Washington held a valid concealed handgun permit issued by the state of Texas, the suit states.
Washington seeks a jury trial, $500,000 in damages, injunctive relief against the defendants, cost of action and attorney fees. He is represented by attorney Sarnie A. Randle Jr. of S.A. Randle & Associates in Houston.
Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas Case number 4:16-cv-00362