Athol Man Sues CPD Over Arrest

An Athol man is alleging that Coeur d’Alene police officers used excessive force and violated several of his constitutional rights following a 2013 traffic stop. Mark Barnhouse filed a civil suit April 1 in U.S. District Court seeking more than $100,000 in damages stemming from the incident. Barnhouse is represented by Moscow attorney Jefferson Griffeath. The complaint claims that when Barnhouse’s wife was stopped by Coeur d’Alene police officers for failing to use a turn signal, Barnhouse, a passenger, was “unlawfully arrested, seized, assaulted, and battered” by officers over a glass bottle of root beer. Coeur d’Alene Police Department Officers Johann Schmitz, Mark Knapp and Jonathan Hernas are all named as defendants in the suit. Cpt. Ron Clark, who was serving as interim chief of police at the time the suit was filed, is also named/ Keith Cousins , Coeur d’Alene Press. More here.

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