BAY CITY, MI — More than two years ago, a Vassar police officer responded to a report of a vehicle having crashed into a ditch. He ended up shooting the intoxicated motorist in the head, the third time he had shot a civilian.

The wounded man survived but was left disabled. The officer who shot him faced no criminal charges but is now the target of a federal lawsuit. Named alongside him in the suit is the city that hired him, as attorneys allege the officer had a documented propensity for excessive force.

Attorneys with Detroit-based Ven Johnson Law in March filed suit in U.S. District Court on behalf of Heidi Smith, the legal guardian of her son, Codi Smith. Targeted in the suit are the City of Vassar and Officer Michael Dekun.

The suit alleges Codi Smith at around 11 p.m. on Aug. 28, 2

See Full Page