A 75-year-old man who suffered a cascade of health problems after a police officer used a Taser on him in his home without warning filed a federal lawsuit Monday accusing the officer of also putting a knee on his neck and causing an injury to his carotid artery that required surgery.
The lawsuit by Michael Clark claims that the pressure that former Idaho Springs police officer Nicholas Hanning put on his neck after he lost consciousness after being hit with the Taser and striking a chair on the way to the ground deprived him of oxygen, prolonged his loss of consciousness and increased his risk of death.
Within 24 hours, Clark’s body began sending blood cells to the injured carotid artery in the neck — which supplies blood to the brain, neck and face — according to the lawsuit, which was filed against Hanning, his partner, their supervisor and the city. Clark had a stroke the next day, it said.
A lawyer for Hanning, who has been charged with third-degree assault and fired, did not immediately return a telephone call or an email seeking comment. Police Chief Nathan Buseck declined to comment on pending litigation.