ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828NewsNow) — A Black man who was tackled and detained by Asheville police outside the Grove Arcade nearly two years ago has filed a $15 million lawsuit against the city, alleging officers violated his constitutional rights and targeted him because of his race.
Louis Searles’ lawsuit was electronically filed on Nov. 6 at the Buncombe County Courthouse. Searles is suing the city for violation of the North Carolina Constitution, Pursuant to Article I, Section 19, according to lawsuit.
In addition to the $15 million lawsuit for compensatory damages, Searles is seeking $25,000 in punitive damages. Searles also sued AAG Asheville Subie, LLC, for $25,000 in punitive damages and $25,000 in compensatory damages.
The lawsuit, filed by the law firm Kennedy Kennedy Kennedy and Kennedy LLP in Winston-Salem, says Searles is seeking a jury trial.
The lawsuit stems from an incident that happened on Dec. 9, 2024, when Searles said he had been wrongfully arrested, as police assumed he had stolen a car that was at the Grove Arcade. According to the lawsuit, Searles observed a woman drive up in a gray Subaru around 5 p.m., park in front of the Grove Arcade and get out carrying boxes while Searles was working there as supervisor of Quality Janitorial Group for Grove Arcade.
Searles opened the door at the Grove Arcade and asked if she needed help, to which she said she didn’t. Searles said he had never seen the woman before. She entered Grove Arcade and went to an office space known as Thrive.
According to the lawsuit, Searles then went to his car, a Toyota 4Runner, to get his lunch. At this time, a police vehicle arrived. A police officer reportedly raised his firearm and cleared the scene, making sure no one was in the vehicle that was reported stolen. The police department said the car had been reported as missing by AAG Asheville Subie.
The lawsuit said as Searles was walking back to Grove Arcade from his vehicle, he saw the officers looking at the woman’s car and he said, “What’s wrong with her car?” The officer said, “With whose car?” According to the lawsuit, Searles said, “The lady’s car.”
But according to police and according to the body cam footage, Searles can be heard saying, “my lady’s car.”
When the officer said he wanted to speak with the lady, Searles pointed out to the officer that the lady who was driving the Subaru was in a location in the Grove Arcade known as Thrive.
Officers then told Searles that the car was reported to them as “unauthorized use.” The lawsuit said Searles then offered to show the officers where Thrive was and direct them to the woman. But the body cam footage shows Searles just repeat the phrase “unauthorized use,” and then he walks toward the building with car keys in his hand.
One of the police officers then asked Searles if those were his keys. Asheville police said they stopped Searles before he went inside the building, based on suspicion. After responding that those were his keys, the lawsuit said the officers tackled Searles, putting him down on the ground.
Police reported that it was a different story, saying that when they asked Searles to stand against the wall to prevent using handcuffs for further interrogation, Searles became agitated. Police said they told him to put his hands behind his back, but Searles refused and resisted both officers as they attempted to detain him.
One of the officers can be heard saying, “I don’t feel like the handcuffs are necessary.” He then tells Searles that the car had been reported stolen and they needed him to lean against the wall while they questioned him.
Searles can be heard saying, “You’re not leaning me against a mother-******* thing. Let me go get the lady whose *** that is.” At which point, the officer can be heard saying, “We will go to handcuffs if we have to.”
The other officer asks for Searles’ keys and asks him again if those are his keys, to which he responds, “They are.” The other officer can be seen on the body cam footage getting out his handcuffs and restraining Searles with the help of the other officer.
Searles can be heard on the body cam footage saying he “should take a lawsuit out” on the officers right then. As Searles continued to resist officers, one of the officers can be seen getting out a taser, but he later determined it didn’t need to be used, police said.
Bystanders recorded the incident, and later, the City of Asheville released the body cam footage, showing the arrest. Searles was taken to the police department, while other officers remained at the scene. The lawsuit and police said the woman later came out to the car with officers still there and informed them that she had a loaner vehicle from the dealership while her car was getting repaired.
Police later said that AAG Asheville Subie had made a false stolen car report.
The lawsuit stated that after Searles arrived at the police station, the lieutenant came in and said, “Stop everything. We are going to release Mr. Searles. We are not charging him with anything.” The lieutenant also reportedly told Searles that his officers reacted too quickly in making the arrest.
The lawsuit also said that Searles “has suffered and will suffer mental and emotional distress, including but not limited to, major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), loss of self-confidence, loss of self-esteem and permanent injury, as well as embarrassment and humiliation.”
As far as the compensatory damages Searles is seeking from the city, the lawsuit said he has been diagnosed by a board-certified psychiatrist and/or psychologist with a psychiatric disorder. It said that Searles “suffered and will continue to suffer physical injuries and has incurred past and future medical bills.”
828NewsNow reached out to the law firm and also reached out to the Asheville Police Department for a response about the lawsuit. A spokesperson from the Asheville Police Department said the department could not comment on ongoing litigation. Attorneys from the law firm have yet to respond.