Man Files Suit After False Arrest

A man arrested here in March on a charge that proved false has filed claims seeking $1 million in damages from Bellevue and two other jurisdictions.

Jerry Omer, 47, is seeking compensation for wrongful arrest, malicious prosecution and false imprisonment from Bellevue, Longview and Cowlitz County.

Omer awoke early March 21 to police pounding on his front door. Two Bellevue officers subsequently handcuffed him and escorted him from the house as neighbors watched, he said.

He was arrested here on a warrant issued by the Cowlitz County prosecutor’s office after a woman with whom he once was romantically linked accused him of performing an illegal abortion on her.

The woman later admitted the accusation was a lie.

A Longview police detective investigated the case. He initially found no reason to doubt the woman, but later noticed inconsistencies in her statements. When he confronted her with them, she admitted she had lied.

The claims, filed earlier this month, are under review, officials said.

If they are rejected, Omer said he will consider suing over the arrest.