Orange City, Iowa — A traffic stop in Orange City over a year ago in which officers allegedly pulled their weapons on the wrong man, as well as his six-year-old son has caused a federal lawsuit to be filed, with claims of racial profiling.
According to court documents, 32-year-old Levi Wilson of Orange City was the driver of the car. The documents say that the officers were actually looking for Wilson’s brother David, who they say was a sex offender and was wanted on outstanding warrants. According to Wilson, when the officers pulled their guns, they asked, “Are you David?” Wilson says one of the officers told him that a local convenience store had just called and reported that a dark-skinned person had just drove off without paying for gas. Court documents report that Wilson is dark-skinned.
Court documents also say that the officers allege that David and Levi Wilson sometimes used the same truck. Levi Wilson says that is not the case.
Wilson alleges that his detention and the searches of his person and his vehicle took place without his consent and were not made in the furtherance of a warrant.
Federal Judge Mark W. Bennet has decided not to dismiss the case, ruling that it may proceed.
Wilson is claiming unreasonable search and seizure, excessive force, and invasion of privacy.
