EAST RIDGE, Tenn. — A man is suing the City of East Ridge and two police officers under claims one officer verbally abused him and both physically assaulted him, injured him, and brought false charges against him.

On July 31st, 2021 the lawsuit says officers Teddy Dyer and Candice "Candy" Miller were on duty on US Highway 41 when they stopped a Black man who was driving an Audi A4 for "violations of Tennessee state law."

The lawsuit says a police report identified the man as Gerado Benitez.

After the officers issued citations to Benitez, the lawsuit says they waited for a tow truck to remove the Audi from the roadway.

The lawsuit says the two officers, who were sitting in their police car, were speaking to Benitez who was sitting on the pavement next to the front passenger window.

Dyer and Miller questioned why he was in East Ridge, according to the lawsuit

At the same time the lawsuit says the plaintiff, 70-year-old Ronald Alan Cummins, approached the police car from the right side next to Benitez.

The lawsuit says Miller asked Cummins if they could help him.

Cummins asked the officers what they were doing with Benitez and, according to the lawsuit, was at no time "rude, loud, or presenting himself in a threatening manner."

Dyer replied that it was none of his business, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit says Miller then told Cummins to leave.

"I remember what happened to George Floyd," Cummins responded, according to the lawsuit.

Dyer then responded, according to the...

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