FAYETTEVILLE -- A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a former Washington County constable against 16 law enforcement officers, judges and prosecutors, ruling last week that the plaintiff failed to state a claim.
Tom Clowers of Springdale was arrested Jan. 25, 2013, after a motorist told police Clowers had stopped him by deploying blue lights. Clowers, who was representing himself, contended that the arrest was bogus and defamed him.
Clowers was arrested after the Benton County sheriff's office received a complaint from Chris Snider, who said he was stopped Jan. 18, 2013, and became concerned that the person wasn't a law enforcement officer, according to county court documents. Snider claimed that the person who stopped him had emergency lights on his vehicle and wore a jacket with a sewn-on badge. The person left the scene when he asked for his identification, according to an affidavit.
Clowers admitted in an October 2013 plea bargain that he had emergency lights on his vehicle, but he denied he pulled anyone over in a traffic stop earlier that year. Prosecutors dropped a felony charge of first-degree criminal impersonation. Clowers pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and was fined $920. Clowers said in the federal lawsuit he accepted the guilty plea to put the matter behind him and the case was later expunged.
U.S. District Judge P.K. Holmes presided over the federal case.
Metro on 10/13/2016