Bridgewater, Somerset Prosecutor’s Office sued by Green Knoll Grille security guard over arrest
BRIDGEWATER NJ July 10 2019 – A security guard at the Green Knoll Grille has filed a federal lawsuit against the township police department and the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, claiming he was wrongfully prosecuted on an aggravated assault charge on a patron who was the son of a former township police officer.
Lawrence DiGiesi, 49, was found not guilty of the charge in 2017 following a trial in Somerset County Superior Court in connection with an incident at the popular Route 202-206 bar and restaurant on Aug. 19, 2016.
In the suit filed in federal court on July 1, DiGiesi charges he was the victim of a conspiracy “devised and orchestrated” by the police department to prosecute him for allegedly assaulting Michael Dolida, the son of former township police officer Kenneth Dolida who retired in 2001.
Neither the township nor the prosecutor’s office have filed a response to the suit.
The suit charges that DiGiesi’s arrest was “outrageous, inexcusable and illegal abuse of power” and violated his Constitutional rights.
The suit also contends that if Michael Dolida’s father had not been a township police officer, DiGiesi “would not have had to expend his hard-earned money, fighting a frivolous legal battle for simply doing the job he was hired to do.”
DiGiesi said if the police took the proper action, he would have avoided “the embarrassment of being falsely arrested and having his good name tarnished.”
The incident began, according to the lawsuit, when Michael Dolida and his girlfriend stopped at Green Knoll Grille to celebrate her birthday. The couple entered the restaurant through a back door and were confronted because they did not show identification.
As the couple was leaving after having drinks, Dolida allegedly blew smoke in the face of a security guard at the door and DiGiesi asked Dolida to leave 22 times, according to the lawsuit.
When Dolida began yelling, the lawsuit says. DiGiesi escorted him out and told Dolida not to come back that evening.
But Dolida tried to go back inside the establishment. What happened next is at the core of the dispute.
The lawsuit charges that Dolida came at DiGiesi with an elbow and forearm, prompting DiGiesi to defend himself. That, the lawsuit charges, caused Dolida to move away to the sidewalk “where he apparently tripped on the Belgium Block curb and fell to the ground.”
But Dolida’s girlfriend called police to report he had been assaulted, the lawsuit continues.
DiGiesi was later charged with aggravated assault. DiGiesi was found not guilty of all charges against him in a trial before Superior Court Judge Kathy Qasim.
mycentralnewjersey.com
