(Editor's note: A previous version of this story identified the Brooklyn police chief as Allen Bonds, as stated in the court filing. Bonds contacted the Record to indicate he has never been police chief of Brooklyn. Bonds is police chief in Washington Park; he had previously been a police officer in Brooklyn).
BELLEVILLE — A St. Clair County man accuses a police officer of driving without a valid license and causing a wreck.
Corey Baker filed a complaint on Aug. 22 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against the Village of Brooklyn, its police chief and officer Pruitt.
According to the complaint, Pruitt, a police officer, chased Baker after he allegedly failed to stop at a stop sign. During the high-speed chase, Baker's vehicle was wrecked and he was injured. Baker alleges Pruitt did not have a valid driver's license. He also alleges the officer used excessive force when trying to apprehend him for a traffic violation.
Baker claims the police chief and the village of Brooklyn, which oversees the police department, should not have let the police officer drive without a valid license.
Baker requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment against defendants of more than $50,000, plus costs. He is represented by Jarrod P. Beasley of Kuehn, Beasley & Young PC in Belleville.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 18-L-556