Chalhoub v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

District Court, M.D. Pennsylvania·Decided July 3, 2024·No. 3:23-cv-00592·Unknown

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA MICHEL CHALHOUB, ; No. 3:23cv592 Plaintiff : : (Judge Munley) V. : COMMONWEALTH OF : PENNSYLVANIA; COLONEL : ROBERT EVANCHICK, : Commissioner of the Pennsylvania _ : State Police; PENNSYLVANIA STATE : POLICE TROOPER LUKASZ OLSZAR;: COUNTY OF PIKE; and CRAIG A. 2 LOWE, Warden Pike County : Correctional Facility, : Defendants ;

MEMORANDUM Before the court is a motion to dismiss filed by Defendants County of Pike (“Pike County”) and Craig A. Lowe, Warden Pike County Correctional Facility (“Warden Lowe”). Having been fully briefed, this motion is ripe for a decision." Background On May 23, 2021, Defendant Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Lukasz Olszar (“Trooper Olszar”) responded to Plaintiff Michel Chalhoub’s residence in Dingman Township, Pike County, Pennsylvania for a report of a “physical

1 The Honorable Robert D. Mariani transferred this case to the undersigned on November 7, 2023.

domestic.” (Doc. 1-2, Exh. A. to Pl. Compl., Police Crim. Compl., Aff. of Prob. Cause, ECF p. 4).2 Per Trooper Olszar’s affidavit of probable cause, the police communications operator advised there was an active Protection From Abuse order (“PFA order”) issued against plaintiff for the protection of another person ai the residence. (Id.) On scene, another trooper interviewed the purported victim

of physical abuse, and she indicated that plaintiff threw an ashtray at her causing burn marks on the back of her shirt. (Id.) Per Trooper Olszar’s narrative, the PF, Order was issued for the protection of that person and he indicated in his affidav that the expiration date of that order was August 12, 2023. (Id.) After burn marks

on the alleged victim's shirt were reportedly observed and photographed,

Trooper Olszar placed plaintiff into custody and charged him with violating an active PFA order. (Id.)

Per plaintiffs complaint, however, the PFA order had expired months earlier, on February 26, 2021. (Doc. 1 J 20). Plaintiff alleges that he told Troope Olszar that the PFA order had expired, but Trooper Olszar accused plaintiff of lying and still placed him into custody. (Id. {] 18). Trooper Olszar told the

arraigning state magisterial district judge that the PFA order remained active, an

2 These background facts are derived from plaintiffs complaint and exhibits. At this stage of the proceedings, the court must accept all factual allegations in the complaint as true. Phillips v. Cnty. of Allegheny, 515 F.3d 224, 233 (3d 2008).

the judge credited the trooper’s incorrect statements and not the plaintiff's accurate statements. (id. J 22).

The magisterial district judge set bail at $40,000, which plaintiff could not post. (Id. J 24). Plaintiff was committed to the Pike County Correctional Facility (“Pike CCF”) based on Trooper Olszar’s statements that plaintiff violated the PF/ Order. (Id. J 25). Plaintiff spent three days at Pike CCF. (Id. J 28). On May 26, 2021, a Pike CCF employee told plaintiff to gather his belongings to leave the jail without -urther explanation. (Id. J 29). Authorities released plaintiff and gave him transportation to a train station. (Id. J 30). Plaintiff avers that he was released from Pike CCF “because the personnel in charge of that facility determined that there was no basis for [plaintiff] being incarcerated.” (Id. J 31). Plaintiff also alleges that he had open heart surgery in August 2020. (Id. J 8). During that surgery, plaintiff's ribs were wired together. (Id.) He needed

another surgery on May 8, 2021 from the constant pain in his ribs. (Id. J 9). During that surgery, plaintiff had metal plates placed in his chest. (Id. J] 10). When Trooper Olszar placed plaintiff into custody, a drainage tube was still attached to the bottom of plaintiff's chest from the most recent surgery. (Id.) Upon release, plaintiff took the train to his son’s house in New Jersey. (Id. ‘ 30). The next day, plaintiff suffered severe pain and went to an emergency

room. (Id. § 35). As a result, plaintiff received an operation due to a “serious life- threatening” internal infection, which continues to occur. (Id. ] 35, 42). He furthe alleges that the infection occurred because he could not attend the scheduled medical procedure to remove his drainage tube during his incarceration. (Id. □□□ 11, 34-35). Based on the above allegations, plaintiff asserts two causes of action in his complaint: Count | — a claim pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (“Section 1983”) for alleged Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment violations against all defendants; anc Count II — a state law claim for false imprisonment against Trooper Olszar, Pike County, and Warden Lowe. (ld. J] 45-56). Defendants Pike County and Warden Lowe responded to the complaint with the instant motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim.? The parties have briefed their respective positions and this matter is ripe for disposition.

3 Defendants Pike County and Warden Lowe also move to dismiss pursuant to Federal Rule o Civil Procedure 12(b)(5) for improper service based on deficient proofs of service. A summon: must be served with a copy of the complaint by a person who is at least 18 years old and not < party to the action within ninety (90) days of the complaint being filed. FED. R. Civ. P. 4(c)(1)- (2), 4(m). The Rules of Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania (“Local Rules”) require affidavits of service to be filed within fourteen (14) days after service. M.D.PA. L.R. 4.1 Plaintiff filed this action on April 6, 2023. (Doc. 1). He also filed two affidavits of service collectively indicating that a copy of the summons and complaint were served on the “Pike County Commissioners” and the “Pike County Warden” by a Pennsylvania State Constable on April 28, 2023. (Docs. 15, 21). Although, plaintiff filed affidavits of service beyond the deadline set by Local Rule 4.1, (see id.), defendants were otherwise properly served according to these affidavits and the court will thus deny the Rule 12(b)(5) motion.

Jurisdiction Because this case is brought pursuant to Section 1983, the court has

jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1331. (“The district courts shall have original jurisdiction of all civil actions arising under the Constitution, laws, or treaties of

the United States.”). The court has supplemental jurisdiction over plaintiffs state-

law false imprisonment claim pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1367(a). (“In any civil action of which the district courts have original jurisdiction, the district courts sha have supplemental jurisdiction over all other claims that are so related to claims in the action within such original jurisdiction that they form part of the same case

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