$50M Lawsuit Claims Waterford Cops’ Excessive Force Left Norwich Teen Paralyzed

WATERFORD, CT — A new lawsuit claims local police used excessive force on an autistic and intellectually disabled 19-year-old, causing injuries which left the teen permanently paralyzed from the neck down.

Erin Beard, guardian of her son, Donovan Beard, filed the federal civil rights lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Connecticut on Aug. 19.

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The Norwich residents are seeking at least $50 million in compensatory damages, as well as punitive damages and attorneys' fees.

The defendants include the town of Waterford, and the following local police: Nicholas Genung, Stephen J. Rogers, John Bunce III, Ian Donovan, Andrew Reed, Matthew Fedor, and Jake Arpin.

"Donovan posed no threat to anyone, but his life was forever changed during this encounter," said Joaquin Madry, an attorney with the Stamford-based firm Slager Madry, which is representing the Beard family.

"The allegations in this case highlight serious problems involving police escalation and use of force, the duty to provide appropriate medical assistance, and the obligations of law enforcement when interacting with people who have significant disabilities," Madry added.

The lawsuit stems from an incident on Sept. 8, 2024, around 5:30 p.m., when Donovan was operating a motorized dirt bike on Hartford Turnpike in Waterford, court documents show.

The lawsuit asserts police knew Donovan, who was 19 at the time, has autism spectrum disorder and an intellectual disability. His mental age is that of a 12-year-old child, according to the lawsuit.

According to the complaint, Waterford police saw Donovan operating the dirt bike and pursued him, as they knew he had outstanding warrants for failure to appear in court.

The lawsuit claims police should have used "appropriate de-escalation and apprehension techniques," given Donovan's known disabilities. Instead, it says officers pursued him to a private residence on Lakes Pond Road.

According to the lawsuit, one officer brought out a police K-9 while another officer drew his firearm, causing Donovan to become frightened and attempt to flee. It claims one officer positioned himself in Donovan's path, causing him to crash his motorbike head-first into a parked police cruiser.

The lawsuit states Donovan immediately exhibited signs of a serious spinal injury and repeatedly cried out that he was dying. It claims officers failed to immediately contact emergency medical personnel or make efforts to stabilize Donovan's neck and back.

Instead, the lawsuit claims police used a taser on Donovan while he was motionless on the ground, then rolled him over and dragged him across the pavement and put him in restraints.

"They tased him while threatening and cursing at him," the lawsuit states. "They also angrily rolled him over while he bled from his head and cried out that he was dying, shoving him back and forth, jostling and contorting his unstable spine. They pulled on his arms and dragged him around on the ground. Not surprisingly, the conduct of the police left Donovan paralyzed."

Donovan was transported to Lawrence + Memorial Hospital before being airlifted to Yale New Haven Hospital and later transferred to Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston, the lawsuit states. He had a Type II odontoid fracture, a complete and unstable fracture of the cervical spine, resulting in permanent quadriplegia, according to the lawsuit.

Now, he is in a wheelchair, needs total assistance with daily living activities, and will require lifelong care, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims police used excessive force, deliberately failed to provide medical assistance, and intentionally inflicted emotional distress.

"Donovan should be walking today," said Attorney Paul Slager, also part of the family's legal team. "Instead, he is permanently paralyzed and will require lifelong care, all because officers refused to use universally accepted de-escalation techniques or render appropriate first aid."

Attorney Jillian Orticelli, who also represents the Beards, said one goal is to help provide the family with financial resources to provide for Donovan's costly future care.

According to Orticelli, another goal is to "highlight what happened in hopes of preventing other destructive police interactions in the future."

As of Thursday afternoon, no attorney was listed on the U.S. District Court website as representing the defendants.

Chief of Police David Ferland and First Selectman Rob Brule did not immediately respond to a request for a comment on the lawsuit.