SUSSEX — A Sussex man is suing Waukesha County Sheriff's deputies in federal court, claiming he was unlawfully arrested during a traffic stop that the sheriff's office later determined was illegal.
Napoleon Jones was arrested and jailed for five hours in May after refusing to provide identification to a deputy during a traffic stop. Cell phone video captured the encounter that has now sparked a federal civil rights lawsuit.
The incident began when Jones noticed a Lisbon squad car conducting a traffic stop in Sussex, which he found unusual. Jones parked in a private lot and began recording the stop on his cell phone.
"It just didn't sit right with me, so I did what I legally could do, and I walked over and recorded it," Jones said.
After the initial traffic stop concluded, the deputy turned his attention to Jones, who was parked in the private lot. The deputy determined Jones' temporary registration was improperly displayed on his rear window.
Watch: Sussex man sues Waukesha County deputies alleging he was unlawfully arrested during traffic stop
"The reason I'm stopping you is you can't read your temp tag," the deputy told Jones in the video.
Deputy Brandon Shayhorn, who was contracted to provide law enforcement services in Lisbon, then asked Jones to hand over his driver's license. When Jones questioned why the deputy was opening his vehicle, the situation escalated quickly.
"I said, 'Give me your ID’, and you're refusing. So get out of the car, put your hands behind your back," Shayhorn said in the video before grabbing Jones' arm.
The video cuts off as the deputy pulls Jones from his vehicle.
"They pretty much were shoving me on the car and doing whatever they could to restrain my arms to force them behind my back," Jones said.
Sheriff's office records show Jones was taken to jail and held for several hours before being released without a traffic citation or criminal charges.
"I was extremely frustrated," Jones said. "I stood my ground because I wasn't in the wrong and I'm not shocked that it happened, but I'm disappointed that it did."
Jones immediately filed a citizen's complaint with the Waukesha County Sheriff's Office, alleging he was arrested without probable cause.
The sheriff's office initially responded that the allegations were "unfounded" and "false," stating that Jones was "arrested for obstructing/resisting because he refused to identify himself."
However, deeper into the sheriff's office report, investigators concluded that "Deputy Shayhorn was advised that this was not a legal traffic stop as the parking lot was for a private business."
Civil rights attorney Nate Cade, who is representing Jones, said the case highlights issues with police accountability.
"This case basically boils down to I think a sheriff's deputy got their ego hurt and decided to try to show somebody who's boss," Cade said. "If an officer says to identify yourself, you're not legally required to do anything."
Cade said Jones' federal civil lawsuit centers on being unreasonably searched and seized during an ‘unlawful stop, detention, and arrest.’
"Someone not giving you a driver's license should not escalate to you reaching into the car, placing him in handcuffs," Cade said. "Imagine the one thing an officer is not allowed to do can land you in jail in the evening hours for five hours."
The Waukesha County Sheriff's Office sent TMJ4 a statement that says, "Because this matter involves active litigation, we are not able to comment on the specific allegations or the parties’ claims. This is our standard practice to protect the integrity of the legal process. That said, we fundamentally disagree with the claims made in the lawsuit."
In addition to seeking compensation, Jones said he wants his lawsuit to result in retraining for Waukesha County Sheriff's Office deputies.
"Police accountability. And holding the deputies and the people who are supposed to protect the public safe, hold them accountable when they're wrong as well," Jones said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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