Man run over while drunk sues police for negligence

LAKELAND (FOX 13) - David Kidd walks with a limp. He's had dozens of surgeries and lives in constant pain. He may never be the same and says a pair of Lakeland police officers are to blame. 

"When the medicine wears off, more or less, it throbs, pulsing, pulsating pain," he told FOX 13.

Kidd just filed a lawsuit against the Lakeland Police Department saying if two of its officers were not negligent, he might be fine right now.

"Shameful, just shameful," said his Tampa attorney, Barry Cohen. "They will be held accountable for this reckless and malicious act."

A little more than a year ago, Kidd was drunk on the side of U.S. 98 North in Lakeland. His blood alcohol content was three times the legal limit. Law enforcement was called to address Kidd.

Two Lakeland police officers, along with deputies and paramedics, showed up. According to investigators, deputies and paramedics offered to give Kidd a ride, but the Lakeland police officers said they would do it.

LPD will not comment officially on the lawsuit. A representative said the officers tried to take Kidd home, but he refused multiple times. The officers said they couldn't arrest him because he wasn't creating a disturbance, so they left.

An hour later, Kidd was laying in the road and was run over by a car.

"Everything is my fault except the police being negligent," Kidd stated.

An internal affairs investigation cleared both officers. One resigned in June with a clean record. The other is still working for the department.