A car wash crash in Perry leads to $700k civil rights lawsuit against police. What we know

A man accused of hit and run for allegedly damaging a car wash says he was a victim of unjust police force in Perry and is seeking six figures in a lawsuit.

The man alleges his arrest was unlawful, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court Wednesday. He also claims deputies pressured him into signing an agreement that he wouldn’t file a lawsuit, according to court documents.

Jason Kerr is seeking $700,000 in damages from the city of Perry, Police Chief Alan Everidge, Houston County Sheriff Cullen Talton and police officers Sean Whilden, Heath Dykes and an unspecified officer after he was charged with hit and run for allegedly damaging the sign of Skweeky Kleen Car Wash last year.

Kerr alleges his car was under the mechanical control of the car wash’s machinery during the crash. Kerr’s wife, Jennifer, is also involved in this suit against the city and police officers.

On June 18, 2023, Whilden and the unspecified officer arrested Kerr, according to the lawsuit. They threatened him with a taser despite his compliance, according to the lawsuit. He also claims he was afraid during the arrest.

The officers’ actions that day violated Kerr’s civil rights for their “excessive and unnecessary use of force,” Kerr alleged in the suit. Kerr’s lawsuit also says he was falsely arrested and imprisoned, subjected to assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional harm and coercion.

The lawsuit alleged that, after the arrest, Dykes “attempted to coerce Plaintiff Jason into signing a document waiving his rights to file a lawsuit against the agencies involved in his arrest in exchange for non-prosecution of offenses related to Plaintiff Jason’s arrest.”

Kerr refused to sign the waiver, according to the court document. The same document mentioned that Kerr and his wife sought medical treatment costing about $25,000 for the injuries they sustained.

The Kerrs want a jury to hear the allegations.

Officials for the city of Perry said they would let their lawyers handle the lawsuit. Police Chief Everidge declined to comment on the allegations.