ST. LOUIS - A federal jury awarded $17,500 to a fire captain who was arrested while responding to a vehicle accident, in a dispute over where the captain parked his firetruck. The jury awarded $7,500 in compensatory and $10,000 in punitive damages to David Wilson, a captain with the Robertson Fire Protection District, to resolve his lawsuit with Hazelwood Police Officer Todd Greeves.
Wilson said he parked his firetruck in a way to protect rescuers while responding to a vehicle accident in 2003.
Greeves ordered the truck moved to accommodate passing traffic and arrested Wilson for not obeying his orders.
Wilson was held for 23 minutes, but was not charged. He claimed he suffered humiliation and embarrassment.
Judge Mary Ann Medler had ruled that Greeves had no probable cause to arrest Wilson and had dismissed the City of Hazelwood as a defendant in the case.
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