DUNBAR, WV (WOWK) – A Dunbar police officer was placed on paid administrative leave after a federal lawsuit was filed against he alleging sexual assault, battery and sexual harassment of a woman, according to Dunbar Police Chief Brian Oxley.
The lawsuit was filed March 28, 2024, almost two years after the alleged incident on March 29, 2022. The plaintiff, who is only identified as J.R., is being represented by Attorney Paul Stroebel. The defendant is a Dunbar police officer.
The lawsuit says J.R. and the Dunbar police officer “had always been friendly and were friends on social media.” In March 2022, J.R. was at The Bucket, a bar and restaurant in Dunbar, having drinks when the officer asked if he could give her a ride home.
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According to the lawsuit, the officer ended up driving an intoxicated J.R. home in his Dunbar Police vehicle with his K-9 in the backseat. Once they arrived at her house, the officer allegedly “sexually harrassed, assaulted and battered the Plaintiff, which was unwanted, unnecessary and unjustified.”
The lawsuit says at the time of the alleged assault, the defendant “was acting within the scope of his employment and under color of state law.”
The officer continued to contact J.R. after the alleged incident, and showed up at her home uninvited and in his full uniform on at least three occasions, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit also alleges the defendant violated J.R.’s constitutional rights.
“The sexual harassment, assault and battery of Plaintiff by Defendant [officer] was so egregious, outrageous and an abuse of power in violation of Plaintiff’s rights,” the lawsuit says.
Oxley said the officer was immediately placed on leave when the department was notified about the lawsuit Monday. An internal affairs investigation will be conducted, and Oxley said the Kanawha County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office was notified to conduct a criminal investigation.
The officer had been working within the department for 15 years, and there was no prior record or complaints of any incident, according to Oxley.