A Bradford business woman filed a civil lawsuit Wednesday in
federal court in Erie against a Kane-based state trooper, alleging
he targeted her family in violation of their constitutional
rights.

Dianne Thompson filed suit against Trooper Matthew Petrof,
saying that when he pulled her over for a traffic stop in October,
it was in retaliation for her’s and her brothers’ public criticism
of the state police in The Bradford Era and in public. She’s
requesting a jury trial and a verdict of $1 million.

The suit, filed by attorney Greg Henry, describes Thompson’s
traffic stop, which happened at 1 a.m. at the intersection of West
Washington and Mechanic streets in Bradford. Thompson was stopped
on West Washington Street for allegedly remaining too long at a
blinking yellow light and for littering.

At the time of the traffic stop, when Petrof approached
Thompson’s vehicle, he told her that he could smell alcohol and
that her eyes were bloodshot and glassy. “Defendant’s claim in that
respect was materially false,” the suit reads. Thompson had not
consumed alcohol and had none in her vehicle, nor were her eyes
bloodshot and glassy, the suit reads.

Thompson was taken to the hospital for blood alcohol testing; no
alcohol was found in her system. However, she wasn’t given the
results of the test until she specifically requested them.

Thompson was then handcuffed for the return trip to her vehicle.
She was charged with two summary citations. She was eventually
acquitted of the charges.

The suit also describes a traffic stop the next day involving
Thompson’s brother, Bob Cummins. Petrof conducted that stop as
well. He told Cummins that he could smell alcohol and that his eyes
were bloodshot and glassy; those assertions were false, the suit
alleges.

Cummins was subjected to field sobriety tests, which Petrof said
he had failed. However, Cummins was not taken to the hospital for
blood alcohol testing. Two summary citations were issued, and he
was released, the suit states.

Petrof testified at Thompson’s summary hearing that he had
detected an odor of alcohol and that her eyes were bloodshot and
glassy, “notwithstanding the results of the chemical testing,” the
suit states. Petrof’s testimony was contradicted by several
witnesses who had seen the siblings in the time span around their
traffic stops, and said neither had consumed or smelled of alcohol,
according to the lawsuit.

Thompson contends that because of Petrof’s conduct, she was
subjected to the physical intrusion of a blood test, was deprived
of her liberty, and suffered “extreme humiliation and anguish and
acute emotional distress.”

“Defendant’s mistreatment of (Thompson) was intended to chill
the free exercise of the First Amendment rights of (Thompson) and
her family, and was inflicted wit the intent to punish (Thompson)
and her family for the free exercise of those rights,” the suit
reads.

She also cites an unreasonable and unnecessary use of force as
to being handcuffed both on her trip to the hospital and on the
return to her vehicle; her right against unlawful arrest; her right
against unreasonable searches for the alleged unfounded chemical
testing; and her right against malicious prosecution.

Thompson has also requested the McKean County District
Attorney’s office investigate her claims of perjury against Petrof
for his actions at her summary hearing. She is requesting that
anyone else who has had a similar experience with the state police
contact her or her brother.