Stow to Sue Woman Over Taser Settlement

The city of Stow is planning to sue an Akron woman for breach of contract over a $100,000 court settlement that stemmed from allegations of police misconduct.

Stow Law Director Brian Reali told members of Stow City Council Monday that the city plans to file a lawsuit against Chelsea Garrett, the 23-year-old who sued the city after being tased by Stow police in November 2011.

In January, Stow's insurance carrier agreed to settle the lawsuit for $100,000.

But Reali said that Garrett violated that settlement agreement.

"Part of the settlement was a non-disclosure agreement," he said. "Within a day of signing that contract she went to media outlets ... and made statements in violation of that agreement. So we collectively agreed pursuing this would be the right thing to do."

Garrett said she was the victim of police brutality when officers tased, handcuffed and arrested her after she almost clipped a police cruiser while driving following her involvement in a hit-skip accident.

Garrett argued she was suffering from diabetic blackouts at the time of the incident that caused erratic driving and inhibited her from following police commands.

Following the arrest, Garrett pled guilty to wreckless driving and then filed a $250,000 lawsuit against the city in U.S. District Court where the parties eventually agreed on the settlement.

City officials have continued to deny any wrongdoing in the case and have said the settlement, brokered in federal court between the city's insurance carrier and Garrett's legal counsel, is not an admission of guilt.

The city is planning to hire the law firm Mazanec, Raskin and Ryder to provide legal counsel for the breach of contract suit.

Reali said the city's insurance company will cover most of the expense of filing the lawsuit against Garrett, but the city may have to pay costs depending on the outcome of the case.