A San Francisco parking control officer has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit accusing a city police officer of nearly running her over and then spitting on her as she directed traffic.
Department of Parking and Traffic Sgt. Shanika Bell's lawsuit claims Officer Thomas Lovrin drove through a red light at high speed on April 9 after a baseball game.
The suit says the 53-year-old Lovrin appeared to be drunk and was talking on his cellphone at the time.
Bell raised her hand directing Lovrin to stop, the suit claims, and Lovrin approached her, shouting expletives before spitting on her face.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the complaint names the city of San Francisco and Lovrin as defendants and that it seeks unspecified damages.
The Chronicle says the defendants have not responded to the suit in court.
