False arrest, civil rights violations alleged
A wedding photographer has filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Reno, Washoe County and two law enforcement officers—one with the Reno Police Department and one with the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office [WCSO]. The photographer accuses them of false arrest, wrongful imprisonment and violations of her constitutional rights.
The lawsuit stems from events after a wedding she photographed on June 15. She alleges she was falsely accused of burglarizing a car and stealing a wallet and debit card belonging to the maid of honor at the wedding. The debit card was reportedly used at multiple Reno locations the next day, while the photographer said she was in Sacramento.
The maid of honor is the daughter of former Sparks Police public information officer Damon O’Connell, who allegedly is friends with Reno detective Eric Hague. The photographer alleges Hague and WCSO deputy Shelly Tone ignored evidence showing she wasn’t in Reno when the crimes occurred—evidence that included photos and documentation showing she was with family in Sacramento.
The lawsuit states the photographer was coerced into an in-person meeting with Hague, who allegedly turned a voluntary interview into an interrogation. “Detective Hague … refused to hear or see any exculpatory evidence,” the suit states.
“After a lengthy interrogation, [the photographer] explained she had to leave for a prescheduled appointment. Detective Hague refused to let her leave, keeping her in the interrogation room while he left to discuss the matter with two Washoe County sheriff’s deputies, which caused her to miss her appointment.”
She was then arrested. “When [she] invoked her Sixth Amendment right to counsel, Detective Hague directed Deputy Tone to handcuff her,” the complaint states. “[She] was then transported to the Washoe County jail where she was forced to endure the booking process, yelled at, forced to undress and shower, and remain in custody until she was released on her own recognizance.”
The photographer alleges violations of her Fourth Amendment rights, unlawful detention, false arrest and malicious prosecution. She claims Hague and Tone misrepresented and withheld evidence that would have prevented her from being arrested.
“Detective Hague willfully withheld the exculpatory clear videotape images of the actual perpetrator from the district attorney,” the lawsuit states. “Instead, he only turned over blurred or distant videotape images of the suspect to the district attorney. He also falsely stated in a declaration that the belt bag he seized from [the photographer] had the stolen credit card in it. It did not.”
The photographer’s attorney called the situation egregious.
“This was an absolute abuse of power by this detective,” attorney Robert Smith said. “There was no probable cause whatsoever to arrest. There was overwhelming evidence she was not in Reno when the crimes actually occurred by the real perpetrator. The video evidence shows it wasn’t the same person.”
The complaint details how the district attorney dismissed all charges after reviewing evidence in the case. “Despite the charges being dismissed, substantial damage to [her] personal and professional reputation, as well as to her emotional well-being, had already been done and continues to this day,” the lawsuit states.
Smith added that this situation would not have happened if O’Connell and Hague weren’t friends.
The photographer is requesting a jury trial.
The City of Reno, Washoe County, Detective Hague and Deputy Tone have not responded to the allegations; neither offered comment for this story as well.
