Elmhurst Poised To Settle Civil Rights Suit

ELMHURST, IL — The Elmhurst City Council on Monday is expected to vote on whether to settle a lawsuit with an Elmhurst man who claimed a police officer violated his civil rights four years ago.

Under the settlement's terms, resident John Messino would drop the lawsuit in exchange for $23,000. The city would admit no wrongdoing.

The settlement was posted on the city's website Thursday.

In June 2018, Messino was arrested on a charge of violating his restricted driver's permit. The lawsuit claimed the police officer, Jason Krueger, lacked probable cause.

The arrest happened after Messino's neighbor in the 500 block of North Walnut Street called police to say that Messino had driven over wooden marker stakes and into bushes on a city right-of-way next to his house. Messino's lawyer said in court documents that Krueger told Messino the arrest would ruin his job and the rest of his life.

In a story in October, Patch wrote about the city's and Messino's legal arguments about whether he should have been arrested.