Suing Sheriff Mike Adkinson
http://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/201...walton-sheriff
Mark Runge, the owner of a Mossy Head auto salvage company, made news in July of 2016 when he was arrested on 134 felony counts of failing to notify the state about vehicles that were being brought to his business to be destroyed.
Arrest records indicated Runge was suspected of accepting stolen cars to be crushed and recycled at AA Auto Salvaging and Recycling.
He now claims the Walton County Sheriff’s Office singled him out for public persecution even though he had done nothing wrong, and now, more than a year after the charges were dropped, he’s filed a lawsuit claiming false arrest and malicious prosecution.
“I almost lost my business, my family, my wife. You can’t explain to someone what you go through,” Runge said. “I was humiliated. It was hell. It was a year of pure hell for us.”
The lawsuit, filed April 7, names as defendant’s the Sheriff’s Office, Michael Adkinson in his capacity as sheriff and Adkinson personally. Runge claims the sheriff refused for several months to drop charges even though it was clear no laws had been broken.
“It’s hard to understand how the Sheriff’s Office was trying to put a law-abiding citizen out of business,” he said.
The lawsuit, filed on Runge’s behalf by attorney Mike Chesser, claims Adkinson publicly implicated Runge for dealing in stolen vehicles, but later toned down the message, referring to the alleged registration errors as “compliance” issues.
“WCSO and Adkinson promoted the use of that phrase ‘stolen vehicles,’ in a malicious attempt to cause harm to Runge and his business,” the suit says. “When it became clear that no evidence existed as it related to theft, WCSO and Adkinson changed their tune and began to refer to Runge’s crime as one of compliance.”
The suit implies the Sheriff’s Office motive for harassing Runge was to force him into reporting his vehicle registrations to a business called LeadsOnline, a for-profit organization, rather than NMVTIS, a state approved electronic database set up for providing information regarding the purchase of derelict motor vehicles.
In a statement issued Monday, Adkinson defended the work of the Sheriff’s Office.
“It’s fairly common to have lawsuits filed against the Sheriff’s Office by those unhappy with our services. In this particular case, the probable cause arrest was supported by a Circuit Court Judge and the State Attorney’s Office following review,” the release said.
He also questioned Runge’s motives for bringing the lawsuit to the news media.
“It is certainly not uncommon for a case to be dismissed once a resolution is reached, which is what occurred in this instance with Mark Runge agreeing to the very conditions we requested all along,” Adkinson said. “The only thing making this case unique is the actions of Mark Runge to advertise this matter to try to help his lawsuit.”
An arrest report attached to the lawsuit states that deputy Lyle Haney began investigating Runge’s business, AA Auto Salvage and Recycling, on or about July 6, 2016 after receiving a tip from Walton County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Corey Dobridnia regarding “stolen vehicles being sold at AA Auto Supply.”
Haney said he attempted to get Runge to comply with state requirements by reporting vehicles to the LeadsOnline site. After two weeks, the deputy found 134 vehicles that had been turned over for destruction to Runge that he concluded had not been properly reported to the electronic reporting site.
The lawsuit maintains that prior to his arrest Runge tried to inform Haney that he was abiding by the law by reporting to NMVTIS and that there was no need for him to report to LeadsOnline, but he was arrested nonetheless.
“Haney unreasonably proceeded to arrest Runge without legal authority, (i.e. probable cause),” the suit said.
Runge contends in the lawsuit that not only was he arrested without probable cause, but for months after he was charged the Sheriff’s Office ignored his efforts to convince authorities the charges brought were “factually and legally false.” The state continued to move ahead with plans to prosecute the case.
As a hearing date on a motion to dismiss approached, the State Attorney’s Office offered Runge a deferred prosecution agreement that stipulated all charges would eventually be dropped, the lawsuit states.
“Adkinson claimed that the criminal case was all about compliance ... and yet the Deferred Prosecution Agreement states (Runge) will continue to comply with record keeping procedures and providing records to the appropriate authorities,” the lawsuit states, with emphasis placed on the words “continue to comply.”
The lawsuit claims Runge has suffered personal and financial damages as a result of the malicious prosecution at the hands of the Sheriff’s Office. It seeks damages, costs, interest and attorney’s fees.
“We gave them every chance to do the right thing,” Runge said.
Nothing to see here, move along please
There is nothing to see here.
Just a simple oversight and 100+ felony charges that were dropped.
Move along.
All is fine in Walton County, Florida.
Thank you.
