Florida trooper sues over 100 officers; says her life threatened over arrest of off-duty cop

Submitted by beoowzao on Sun, 2012-12-30 03:24

Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Donna Jane Watts filed a 69-page lawsuit Friday in Miami federal court, alleging law enforcement officers retaliated against her for an arrest of a Miami police officer in October 2011, and have created a "life-threatening" situation that caused her to be in such fear for her safety she has become a "hermit."

Watts alleged in court papers law enforcement officers from 25 jurisdictions illegally obtained her personal information more than 200 times using law enforcement databases, violating her privacy in the months after the incident.

Officers, including more than a dozen troopers from her own agency, looked up information such as her home address, picture, Social Security number, date of birth and detailed vehicle description, Watts alleged in her complaint.

Watts said in her lawsuit that she has been so upset about the invasion of her privacy she has "started to experience physical symptoms to include dry heaves and nausea when performing basic activities such as opening her mailbox, starting her ignition, or when being followed by a law enforcement vehicle for no apparent reason."

Watts began opening her mailbox from the side instead of from the front in case there was something in it.

The suit states that Watts' supervisors "do not believe that it would ever be safe for her to return to road patrol" and that Watts believes if she ever needed police backup in an emergency, it would not be provided.

In the Oct. 2011 arrest that made national news, Watts pulled over off-duty Miami Police Officer Fausto Lopez for speeding in his marked police car on Florida's Turnpike.

According to police video and her report, Watts followed Lopez for over seven minutes before Lopez stopped and later wrote in a report that he was darting in and out of lanes at speeds exceeding 120 mph. She approached his police car with her gun drawn, yelling and then handcuffed him.

The video clearly shows Lopez failed to stop for Watts who had her lights and siren on.

Lopez, who regularly averaged more than 100 mph on his drive between Miami and his Coconut Creek home, was fired in September according to court documents.

In January, an internal review by the Florida Highway Patrol cleared Watts of any wrongdoing.

"She believed he (Lopez) was intentionally not stopping for her,'' the report says. "The driver was driving recklessly. She thought that possibly the police vehicle could have been stolen.''

Lopez can he heard on the police video admitting to speeding and not seeing Watts' police car. According to an analysis of the video, Lopez's average speed was 103 mph and it is evident he endangered other motorists by his excessive speed and darting in and out of lanes.

Lopez was issued a traffic citation for reckless driving, but later asked Watts “if that's the best she could do,” referring to professional courtesy, according to the internal report. Watts told him this was not a case for professional courtesy.

“No action will be taken against Watts,” said Capt. Mark Brown, an FHP spokesman.

Watts is seeking $1 million in damages. She is suing more than 100 police officers and agencies and the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles for invasion of privacy and violating her civil rights.