TOMS RIVER, N.J. — Two Ocean County residents filed a sweeping 103-page civil lawsuit accusing sheriff’s officers of violently restraining a courtroom victim advocate with chokeholds, threatening him with a Taser, and physically assaulting another plaintiff during a March 2024 confrontation tied to a criminal court proceeding.
The lawsuit, filed in Ocean County Superior Court by Peter M. Arp and Susan V. Ewing, alleges multiple members of the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office violated constitutional protections and New Jersey use-of-force policies during an incident inside the Ocean County courthouse on March 8, 2024.
Named defendants include the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, Ocean County, and several sheriff’s officers identified in the complaint as Daniel Donovan, Mills, Evans, White, Solomone, Polozzo, Comeau and Sgt. Cipully, along with unnamed individuals and entities.
According to the filing, Arp attended the proceeding as a designated victim advocate and representative for a crime victim who allegedly suffered catastrophic injuries in an earlier criminal case.
Lawsuit Details Alleged Chokeholds and Physical Force
The complaint accuses officers of using “excessive force” against Arp after he spoke during court proceedings and attempted to leave the courtroom.
Court filings claim multiple officers restrained Arp in what the lawsuit describes as a “single arm choke hold” before escalating into what plaintiffs call a “2 arm chokehold” and later a “camel clutch,” allegedly restricting his airway and placing him in fear of death from strangulation and positional asphyxiation.
The lawsuit further alleges officers dragged Arp by the neck over a bench, slammed him into courtroom furniture and onto the floor, piled on top of him, and repeatedly threatened to use a conducted energy device, commonly known as a Taser.
According to the complaint, officers pressed the Taser directly against Arp’s head and neck while threatening deployment.
Plaintiffs claim Arp suffered physical injuries, emotional distress, anxiety, depression and lasting psychological trauma following the confrontation.
The lawsuit repeatedly describes Arp as an “announced passive resister” and alleges officers ignored state-mandated de-escalation requirements before using force.
Key Points
• Ocean County lawsuit accuses sheriff’s officers of chokeholds and excessive force inside courthouse
• Plaintiffs allege Taser threats, physical restraint, and constitutional rights violations
• Complaint claims officers ignored New Jersey de-escalation and use-of-force policies
Plaintiff Claims Officers Blocked Courtroom Access
The lawsuit also alleges Susan V. Ewing suffered injuries while attempting to witness the courthouse incident.
According to the complaint, officers prevented Ewing from observing the confrontation and repeatedly slammed a heavy courtroom door into her arm while she remained in her wheelchair.
The filing claims officers pinned the door shut with a foot while Ewing’s arm remained trapped, allegedly causing physical injuries and ongoing mental health effects.
Plaintiffs further accuse defendants of interfering with victims’ rights protections under New Jersey law by restricting courtroom participation, delaying hearings, and allegedly intimidating participants involved in the criminal justice process.
The complaint references multiple constitutional claims, including alleged violations of the First, Fourth, Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments, as well as protections under the New Jersey Constitution.
Complaint Challenges Sheriff’s Office Use-of-Force Practices
Much of the filing focuses on New Jersey’s statewide use-of-force policy, including sections involving de-escalation, proportional force, warnings before force, and treatment of passive resisters.
The complaint argues officers failed to exhaust alternatives before resorting to force and ignored requirements intended to reduce confrontation risks.
One section of the lawsuit alleges officers used force “to resolve the situation more quickly” despite no immediate threat to public safety.
The filing also claims officers failed to account for disabilities and hearing-related accommodations while interacting with the plaintiffs.
The case was filed March 6, 2026, in Superior Court of New Jersey, Civil Division, Ocean County.
No responses from the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office or the named officers appeared within the uploaded complaint documents, and the allegations remain unproven in court.
The lawsuit seeks damages related to alleged civil rights violations, excessive force, emotional distress and physical injuries. The matter remains pending in Ocean County Superior Court.
