PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A man is suing the City of Portland and numerous Portland Police officers for no less than $500,000 after he alleges officers used excessive force during an arrest in January 2016.
Joshua Lee Crocker said Portland Police officers William Congdon and Adam Speer — both of whom are defendants in the lawsuit — used “unnecessary, excessive and unreasonable force” in an arrest near Southeast 143rd Avenue and Southeast Mills on Jan. 10. Crocker is also suing on assault and battery claims.
The lawsuit, filed on Monday, alleges Congdon, Speer — and other defendants — beat, punched, kicked, tackled and kneed Crocker before using pepper spray. It also alleges Congdon and Speer’s conduct was malicious and reckless, among other things.
At the time of his arrest, Portland Police said officers saw 2 men and a woman unloading and loading items from a pickup truck. The officers, according to police, then checked for weapons when they said Crocker started running.
When officers caught up to Crocker, police said he turned around and threw a punch at an officer. They said a fight ensued when an officer noticed a handgun between Crocker’s leg. Officers then removed the firearm and reportedly pepper sprayed Crocker.
After he was arrested, Portland Police said they discovered Crocker was wearing a camouflaged tactical vest with a large, dagger knife under his jacket.
Crocker was booked into Multnomah County Jail on charges of felony possession of a firearm, possession of a loaded firearm, 2 counts of assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest, interfering with a peace officer, felony possession of a restricted weapon and carrying a concealed weapon.
All charges, according to court documents obtained by KOIN 6, were dismissed in Multnomah County Court, but one of the charges was forwarded to federal court. Crocker is set to appear in federal court on Feb. 20, 2018, for one count of felon in possession of a firearm. If he’s found guilty, Crocker will be forced to forfeit a .38 caliber firearm and 3 rounds of special ammunition.
Crocker has a criminal history dating back to 2001 in multiple metro counties. As of Jan. 10 — the date of the arrest — Crocker had been convicted and sentenced to a prison term lasting longer than a year for the following charges:
Jan. 11, 2001 (Clackamas County Circuit Court) — Felony Attempt to Elude
Jan. 11, 2001 (Clackamas County Circuit Court) — First-Degree Failure to Appear
Nov. 30, 2001 (Multnomah County Circuit Court) — First-degree Burglary, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Identity Theft, Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and Felony Attempt to Elude
Feb. 14, 2005 (Washington County Circuit Court) — Assault on a Public Safety Officer
May 23, 2006 (U.S. District Court) — Felon in Possession of a Firearm
Crocker was also arrested on March 31, 2016, for allegedly breaking into a Southeast Portland vacant home. Crocker was charged with first-degree criminal trespass, possession of heroin and methamphetamine, but he was only convicted for criminal trespass. He was sentenced to 15 days in Multnomah County Jail.