Police and court briefs Elyria pair sue Sheriff’s Office

A pair of Elyria residents are suing the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office and a specific deputy in connection to a 2016 crash.

The suit was filed Oct. 11 in Lorain County Common Pleas Court on behalf of Anne Dougan and Dakota Tomusko and names the Sheriff’s Office and Deputy Matthew J. Shilke as defendants.

According to the filing, the pair were in a vehicle on LaGrange Road in Elyria when they were struck from behind by a cruiser driven by Shilke.

The suit claims Shilke was negligent in striking the vehicle, and the Sheriff’s Office should have known he was an incompetent driver.

When reached for comment, Chief Deputy Dennis Cavanaugh, of the Sheriff’s Office, said he had not seen the filing and would not be able to comment until he did.

Tomusko and Dougan are seeking an amount in excess of $75,000 in damages.