By Trendsetter Tribune 
Columbus City Council approved a $30,000 settlement for Ryan Pitts after officers illegally pulled him over, turned off body cameras, and fabricated charges.
Columbus police officers have agreed to a $30,000 settlement after illegally pulling over Ryan Pitts, a Black man, in 2023. The traffic stop escalated after Pitts began recording the officers, which is his constitutional right.
According to a federal lawsuit, officers Lucas Lauvray, Emily Geier, and Daxton Cates became frustrated when they found nothing illegal in Pitts’ car. Lauvray accused Pitts of touching his taser, threatened to put him on the ground, and handcuffed him. During the encounter, all three officers turned off their body cameras for nearly 30 minutes, during which they illegally searched Pitts’ vehicle but found no contraband.
Pitts’ attorney, Daniel J. Sabol, said the officers were on a “fishing expedition” and fabricated charges, later citing minor traffic violations while ignoring that Pitts’ vehicle tints were legal. The lawsuit claimed the officers violated Pitts’ Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights through false arrest, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, and conspiracy.
The incident began when officer Geier followed Pitts out of a gas station, monitoring him for potential infractions. Pitts, aware he was being followed, complied with all traffic laws. Officers Cates and Lauvray escalated the stop despite finding no evidence of contraband or violations.
Following the stop, Pitts filed a complaint with the City of Columbus Department of the Inspector General (DIG). The DIG confirmed the officers violated his rights and engaged in bias-based profiling. Officers Geier and Lauvray were disciplined through verbal counseling.
Sabol said in a statement, “This conduct is abhorrent and too often unchecked—fortunately, Ryan had the guts to stand up for himself.”