Police in Kansas City, Kansas have a really heavy handed approach when dealing with speeding motorists, as 80-year-old John Sigg learned in 2021. That’s when he got tased by a deputy for doing 3 mph over the speed limit. Now, he’s suing.
Speeding nearly a death sentence
An incredibly minor speeding infraction nearly resulted in a death sentence for John J. Sigg. The octogenarian caught the attention of Deputy Joseph Stotler on April 16, 2021, by flying through a 35 mph zone at the dangerous rate of 38 mph.
The deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop but the driver didn’t pull over. That’s where things went off the rails like a Norfolk Southern freight train.
Mr. Sigg filed a federal lawsuit on Monday, April 10, against Allen County Sheriff Bryan J. Murphy and the former deputy. He’s asking for “$250,000 in actual damages and an equal amount in punitive damages.” While the controversial incident started with an alleged speeding violation, it escalated quickly.
An 80-year-old Kansas man, John J. Sigg, was pursued by police and tased by a deputy — all for driving 3 mph over the speed limit, a federal lawsuit claims.https://t.co/meJBr70Z3A
— Watchman on the Wall | Never Trust a Cop (@SamsonIsrael16) April 13, 2023
Reports note that “Murphy and Stotler do not yet have attorneys.” Nobody is returning email messages from the press, either.
After former Deputy Stotler clocked Sigg speeding through Iola, Kansas, at 38 mph, “a pursuit began.” The lawsuit addresses that issue by explaining that “Sigg was unaware police were following him even though law enforcement vehicles from other departments joined the pursuit.” Experts say that’s plausible.
Unaware he was being trailed by a string of law enforcement like Donald Trump on his way to court, Mr. Sigg arrived at his intended destination, “a car lot operated by his family.” Totally oblivious that he was considered a wanted fugitive, Sigg parked and got out. That’s when it hit the fan.
Surrounded by cops
As soon as he climbed out of his car, “officers surrounded him and two officers from nearby Chanute, Kansas, drew their guns.” The suspect was smart enough not to make any sudden moves. “Sigg looked at them quizzically and raised his hands.”
What happened next is the reason he’s in court with a lawyer now. Deputy Stotler “demanded that Sigg get on the ground.” What he didn’t do is give the old man any time at all to comply. Talk about “speeding.”
“Without warning,” the lawsuit alleges, Stotler “used the Taser on him, even though the maker of the stun gun had warned against using it on the elderly.” That wasn’t nice. Not only that, it almost killed Mr. Sigg. It was also totally uncalled for, the attorney argues. “At no time after exiting his vehicle did Sigg make a hostile motion or make physical or verbal threats.”
John J. Sigg, 80, claims police officers clocked him going 38 mph in a 35 mph zone. https://t.co/iprhzfMVF2
— HuffPost (@HuffPost) April 13, 2023
Even if Sigg had been speeding as alleged, it wasn’t by much. His alleged evading of the police also wasn’t a dramatic event. There were no evasive maneuvers, he simply kept driving, unaware the string of traffic behind him all happened to be cops. Nobody is reporting a single word about light bars or sirens. If Deputy Stotler had his red and blues buried in the grill, it could be an open and shut case in favor of Sigg.
Clearly, there “was no risk that the 80 year old man was going to run from the officers and they had no concern that Sigg had a firearm.” The speeding suspect was surrounded by cops and wondering why, before he even had a chance to find out what he did wrong, he got zapped.
Almost immediately, “Sigg began mumbling” in a way that was “hard to understand,” and told an officer “he didn’t feel right.” They had to take him to the emergency room. Thankfully, he recovered and this isn’t a wrongful death suit.
