Cahokia cop accused of unleashing dog attack against detainee

A man claims a Cahokia police officer called on a dog to attack him while he lay helpless and handcuffed on the ground.

Reginald King filed a lawsuit May 13 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Elijah Moyers and the city of Cahokia.

In his complaint, King alleges he was riding his bicycle from a gas station at the intersection of Range and Camp Jackson Road to his home in Cahokia on May 14, 2012. At the intersection of Jerome Lane and Lee Street in Cahokia, Cahokia Police Officer Elijah Moyers stopped King, according to the complaint. He then ordered King to walk his bike home, the suit states.

King protested and Moyers proceeded to handcuff him and to inform him that he was under arrest, the complaint says.

“After handcuffing plaintiff, defendant Officer Moyers remotely opened the door to his police vehicle and purposely unleashed his K-9 police dog to attack, assault and hurt plaintiff,” the suit states. “The K-9 police dog did attack, maul, bite and strike plaintiff as he lay on the ground handcuffed. In addition to having his police dog attack plaintiff, defendant Officer Moyers also struck, assaulted, mistreated, battered and tasered plaintiff.”

Before the attack and while handcuffed, King says he attempted to comply with all of Moyers’s orders. He says the attack was unprovoked.

Because of the incident, King suffered severe and permanent injuries to his eye, back, neck, arm and legs; endured extreme pain; and lost wages, the complaint says. He also claims he was disabled and lost his normal enjoyment of life.

In his two-count complaint, King seeks actual and exemplary damages of more than $100,000, plus costs.

John M. Smith of Callis, Papa, Hale and Szewczyk in Granite City will be representing him.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 13-L-253.