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A Covington police officer renowned for handling DUI arrests is currently embroiled in his fifth federal lawsuit. The lawsuit stems from allegations of excessive force during the apprehension of a Cincinnati resident following a traffic stop.
The individual filing the lawsuit, Damien Conner, 38, has accused both the city of Covington and Officer Doug Ullrich of various offenses, including excessive force, battery, assault, negligence, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Conner is pursuing a jury trial in federal court, seeking damages as well as reimbursement for his legal expenses.
Traffic Stop Outcomes in Question
The lawsuit outlines that Conner was en route to his job on Interstate 75 on the evening of September 23 when Ullrich pulled him over for allegedly using his mobile phone while driving.
After checking Conner’s information, which the lawsuit claims Conner willingly provided, Ullrich approached the vehicle and inquired if Conner was carrying a firearm.
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Upon Conner’s refusal to answer, Ullrich commanded him to remove his seatbelt and exit the car, as captured in body camera footage.
“I don’t want to have to rip you out of the car and take you to jail,” Ullrich warned.
As officers tried to extract Conner from the car, he attempted to keep the door shut. Ullrich proceeded to handcuff Conner while he remained seated. Subsequently, Ullrich and another officer attempted to pull Conner through the driver’s window while he was still restrained by his seatbelt.
Conner pleaded for the officers to open the car door, expressing his discomfort due to their actions. “Why are you doing this to me?” he asked, prompting the officers to finally open the door and cut the seatbelt to remove him.
While guiding Conner to a police vehicle, Ullrich asserted that the arrest was due to Conner’s refusal to exit the car and the smell of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Conner denied using marijuana, stating that his railroad job prohibited it.
The lawsuit clarifies that there was no definitive proof that Conner possessed marijuana. Although officers located a handgun within a green bag in the vehicle, Conner faced no charges related to the firearm.
Ullrich expressed concern during the incident after Conner declined to answer questions regarding whether he was armed.
Conner faced several charges in Kenton County District Court, including resisting arrest and obstructing emergency responders, as well as using a phone while driving. However, these charges were ultimately dismissed after he completed a judicial diversion program.
“What began as a routine traffic stop for allegedly using a mobile device while driving quickly escalated into an ordeal of unnecessary violence and misconduct,” remarked Jamir Davis, Conner’s attorney. He emphasized that Conner, being a law-abiding citizen, complied with the officer’s requests yet faced unwarranted aggression.
City Upholds Officer’s Conduct
In response to the lawsuit, the city of Covington has stated that Conner was legally ordered multiple times to exit his vehicle after he refused to engage with the officer’s questions regarding firearm possession.
“The City is dedicated to defending its officers who act lawfully,” the statement declared. “Legal precedent established nearly 50 years ago confirms that law enforcement may order individuals to exit their vehicles for officer safety.”
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, but the timeline for the first hearing remains undefined.
History of Legal Challenges for the Officer
During unrelated court proceedings earlier this month, Kenton County Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Sanders referred to Ullrich as the department’s “DUI cop,” indicating his primary role in managing DUI-related incidents.
Since June 2021, Ullrich has been involved in five federal lawsuits, although court records show he has not been found liable for any of the allegations to date. Each lawsuit arises from traffic stops involving Ullrich.
Davis, representing Conner, previously represented another client who also filed a lawsuit against Ullrich, which was dismissed with the judge awarding attorney’s fees to the city due to frivolous claims.
Judge David Bunning criticized Davis for not conceding claims with clear evidence against them, labeling this approach as “vexatious conduct” that needlessly inflated litigation costs.
Davis publicly expressed his dismay at receiving the sanctions, stating he plans to appeal the ruling. He claims that these sanctions are being leveraged by individuals connected to the department to undermine his credibility and that of his clients.
He lamented about the earlier civil case, suggesting that the judge’s misunderstanding of his arguments led to unfortunate outcomes, and legal records confirm that his client is pursuing an appeal regarding the dismissal of those claims.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Covington defends ‘DUI cop’ facing 5th lawsuit over traffic stop
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