EDWARDSVILLE — A man is suing the City of Collinsville and a police officer, claiming "grossly excessive force" was used against him during a traffic stop.
Cody Seats filed a complaint on Sep. 11 in the Madison County Circuit Court against Blake Novack and the City of Collinsville.
According to the complaint, Seats was driving in Collinsville on July 10 when he was pulled over by Novack, a Collinsville police officer. He was allegedly pulled over for failing to use his turn signal. Seats alleges that it was an illegal stop and that "multiple" officers came to the scene, causing a "large police presence." He also claims he informed Novack that he was going to video the situation on his phone and that Novack instructed him to put his phone down and exit his vehicle. Seats claims that without giving him time to comply, Novack "yanked" him out of the car and "slammed" him to the ground. He claims he was then placed in a police car where he started having seizures, resulting in an ambulance being called.
Seats states in his complaint that he was not charged with a crime and that Novack used "grossly excessive force" during an illegal traffic stop that has caused him to suffer injury, pain and "lost enjoyment of life."
Seats seeks monetary relief of more than $50,000 and all other proper relief. He is represented by Jarrod P. Beasley from Kuehn, Beasley, and Young, P.C., in Belleville.
Madison County Circuit Court case number 20-L-001299