The estate of Fred H. Wild III, who was killed by police March 21 in Brookfield, has filed a wrongful death civil suit in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.
The names of the police officers involved have not been released, and the lawsuit lists only unnamed police officers.
The suit also alleges a federal civil rights claim of deprivation of rights.
The Trumbull County Prosecutor’s Office is reviewing the criminal investigation of the shooting performed by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, said Watkins’ spokesman, Guy Vogrin. First Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Becker has requested information from Columbus in the case, and doesn’t expect “any decision or release or report to be until December probably,” Vogrin said.
BCI investigates all officer-involved shootings and had turned over its investigation to Watkins Aug. 17, said BCI spokesman Steve Irwin.
Wild, 50, was wanted on arrest warrants from Liberty police and Lake County when police were called to the 1400 block of Route 7 in Brookfield, according to Ohio Highway Patrol. Wild got into a stolen pickup with a snowplow on it and “charged at officers,” who fired their guns at him, OHP said.
Wild was pronounced dead at the scene.
Wild was a “social guest” of the property in Brookfield when he was killed, the civil suit says.
Wild was “unarmed” and the police officers’ “use of deadly force was not at all necessary to prevent his escape and make the arrest,” the suit says.
The plaintiffs are seeking money damages from the police officers.
