SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — A Spokane police sergeant who was fired after he was caught driving drunk and leaving the scene of a collision has filed a lawsuit against the city for wrongful termination.
Bob Dunn, the attorney representing fired police Sgt. Brad Thoma, told The Spokesman-Review that the lawsuit is a response to the City Council’s unanimous vote on Monday rejecting a negotiated settlement. The deal would have given Thoma a demoted position as a detective, plus $275,000 in back pay and $15,000 for his attorney’s fees.
But when details of the proposed deal came out last week, it drew a big public outcry.
Thoma claims that the city is discriminating against him for being an alcoholic and that he is protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
