Women Say They Were Groped by Woodbridge Police Officer, Settle Suit for $70K

Woodbridge, NJ - Three women who say they were thrown to the ground and groped by a Woodbridge police officer have settled their lawsuit with the Woodbridge PD for $70,000, NJ.com reported.

Shaquila Ayler, Manirah Harris and Jasmine Gordon said the incident happened outside the Woodbridge Center Mall on May 10, 2014. They said an unnamed Woodbridge police officer pulled from Ayler's car and touched their breasts, between their legs and on their buttocks while being searched, according to the report.

Two mall security guards also took part, the suit said. The three women were charged with obstruction of justice, and resisting arrest and Ayler was also charged with aggravated assault and possession of a weapon, NJ.com reported. However, charges against all three were dropped in 2015 after the police officers failed to appear in court multiple times.

Then, a settlement was reached in the civil suit, NJ.com reported. Both sides signed a confidentiality agreement in the suit. Patch file photo of Woodbridge Police