'Recklessness' Case Against Danbury Officers May Proceed: Court

DANBURY, CT — A federal judge has ruled that a lawsuit filed against the Danbury Police Department, claiming officers who responded to a domestic dispute acted recklessly when they entered a house without a search warrant, may proceed.

Three Danbury police officers, Chief Patrick Ridenhour, and the City of Danbury are all named in the original complaint, which was filed by Kelly Novo, 55, of Danbury in May 2018.

The suit states that Danbury police officers Christopher Rink, Eric Cieply and David Pardovich entered Novo's home on Fleetwood Drive on Dec. 21, 2016, without a warrant. Novo's attorney told the Connecticut Law Tribune that Novo's daughter had called the police after a dispute with her mom, and let the police into the house unbeknownst to her.

Novo denied the police access, the complaint reads, but the police entered anyway and "suddenly, without warning or justification... came in physical contact with Ms. Novo." As a result, Novo suffered injuries to her left arm and right knee, according to the suit.

Novo was charged with breach of peace for her scuffle with the police. Those charges were later dropped.

In the ruling this week, the court dismissed claims of negligent training and supervision against Chief Ridenhour. But the recklessness count against the officers, and a count against the city of Danbury of the violation of Novo’s state and federal rights, remains.

The lawsuit was originally filed in Superior Court, but moved to federal court at the request of the defense.