Wendel v. Florida Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles

80 F. Supp. 3d 1297, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6720, 2015 WL 263445
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Florida
DecidedJanuary 21, 2015
DocketCase No. 6:14-cv-675-Orl-37DAB
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 80 F. Supp. 3d 1297 (Wendel v. Florida Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wendel v. Florida Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles, 80 F. Supp. 3d 1297, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6720, 2015 WL 263445 (M.D. Fla. 2015).

Opinion

ORDER

ROY B. DALTON, JR., District Judge.

This cause is before the Court on the following:

1. Motion of Defendants Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and Terry L. Rhodes to Dismiss Plaintiffs First Amended Complaint (Doc. 29), filed August 15, 2014;
2. Plaintiffs Response in Opposition to Defendants [sic] Motion to Dismiss Plaintiffs First Amended Complaint (Doc. 35), filed September 11, 2014.

Upon consideration, the Court finds that the motion (Doc. 29) is due to be granted.

BACKGROUND 1

This action arises out of the alleged discrimination against Plaintiff when he attended Sunshine Safety Council, Inc.’s (“Sunshine”) DUI School. (See Doc. 24, ¶ 1.) Plaintiff asserts two claims against Sunshine, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (“the DHSMV”), and Terry L. Rhodes, who is the Executive Director of the DHSMV, alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (“RA”). (See id.)

I. Defendants

Among its other duties, the DHSMV is responsible for licensing and regulating DUI schools pursuant to Florida Statute § 322.292. (Id. ¶ 3(B).) As part of its regulatory authority, the DHSMV is required to “[e]stablish policies and procedures for monitoring DUI programs’ compliance with all rules adopted by the department,” including the ADA, and to “[i]nvestigate complaints about the DUI programs.” (Id. (citing Fla. Stat. § 322.292(2)(e), (g)).) As the Executive Director of the DHSMV, Terry L. Rhodes is responsible in her official capacity for the DHSMV’s actions or omissions. (Id. ¶ 3(C).)

Sunshine is one of the twenty-six DHSMV-licensed DUI programs in the State of Florida.- (Id. ¶ 3(B).)

II. The Incident

In 2008, Plaintiff — a veteran of the United States Army who suffers from PTSD, Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder — was arrested for driving under the influence. (Id. ¶¶ 5, 9.) As a result and in order to get his driver’s license reinstated, Plaintiff was ordered to attend a DUI Level II Course, which consists of twenty-one hours of classes and' a psychosocial evaluation. (Id. ¶ 10.) In early 2013, Plaintiff enrolled in [1301]*1301Sunshine’s DUI School, which is only nine miles from his home. (Id. ¶¶ 11-12.)

After Plaintiff was unable to attend the first class due to a “severe PTSD flare-up” (id. ¶¶ 13-14) and upon request, Sunshine’s Director of Programs allowed Plaintiff to bring a “battle buddy,” Troy Robertson, to his psychosocial evaluation to provide aid to him in case he had another flare up. (Id. ¶¶ 15-17.) On February 27, 2013, Plaintiff-accompanied by his mother and Robertson-attended his psychosocial evaluation at Sunshine. (Id. ¶¶ 17, 18(A).) Despite being acknowledged by “an unnecessarily rude receptionist,” Plaintiff kept a calm demeanor and remained patient and polite. (Id. ¶ 18(B).) Plaintiffs demeanor changed while he took a Driver Risk Inventory in a private area. (Id. ¶ 18(C).) Plaintiff began experiencing some of the “horrific symptoms associated with his unfortunate conditions” and he removed his shirt to cool off. (Id.) A Sunshine employee ordered Plaintiff to put his shirt back on, and he complied. (Id.)

During his psychosocial evaluation, evaluator Daniel F. Bodnar was allegedly unprofessional and discourteous towards Plaintiff. (Id. ¶ 18(E).) When Plaintiff explained that he “currently takes and has taken prescription medications for PTSD and Generalized Anxiety Disorder for approximately thirty years and for Agoraphobia for approximately seventeen years after being diagnosed by both private and VA physicians,” Bodnar recommended that Plaintiff needed substance abuse counseling. (Id. ¶¶ 18(E)-(F).) Then the following chain of events occurred: Bodnar accused Plaintiff of being high, ordered him to get out, made rude comments to both Plaintiff and his mother, and created a scene; an additional Sunshine employee ordered Plaintiff’s group to leave and threatened to call the police; and, a present police officer, “with his hand on his weapon,” told Plaintiffs mother to get out. (Id. ¶¶ 18(F)-(G).)

Plaintiff left, and the following day he received a letter notifying him that: (1) Sunshine would not provide him services “as his behavior at his evaluation was in violation of the Florida State Statute governing the course”; but (2) Sunshine would grant him permission to attend another DUI school. (Id. ¶¶ 19-20.) The next closest DUI School is fifty-four miles from Plaintiffs home. (Id. ¶ 20.) Although Sunshine refunded Plaintiff, he still wants to complete his DUI schooling at Sunshine because his conditions allegedly prohibit him from getting to the other DUI schools. (Id. ¶¶ 21-22.)

III. The Instant Action

Plaintiff brought this action against Sunshine, the DHSMV, and Terry L. Rhodes for violations of Title II of the ADA and the RA. (See id.) Significantly, Plaintiff alleges that the DHSMV and Terry L. Rhodes (collectively, “the Department”) are liable for “the discriminatory actions and omissions that occur during [Sunshine’s] operation of the Department’s licensed services and programs.” (Id. ¶ 32.) He seeks injunctive and declaratory relief for the alleged ADA violations and damages for the alleged RA violation. (Id. ¶ 38, 54, 60.) The Department moves to dismiss.2 (See Doc. 29.) Plaintiff opposes. (See Doc. 35.) The matter is now ripe for the Court’s adjudication.

[1302]*1302STANDARDS

I. Motion to Dismiss

On a motion to dismiss pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6), the Court limits its consideration to “the well-pleaded factual allegations” in the complaint. La Grasta v. First Union Sec., Inc., 358 F.3d 840, 845 (11th Cir.2004). The factual allegations in the complaint must “state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.” Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007). In making this plausibility determination, the Court must accept the factual allegations as true and construe them in the light most favorable to the plaintiff; however, this “tenet ... is inapplicable to legal conclusions.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009). A pleading that offers mere “labels and conclusions” is therefore insufficient. Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955.

II. ADA and RA

The ADA prohibits discrimination against a disabled person by reason of the person’s disability. See 42 U.S.C.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Schwarz v. Villages Charter School, Inc.
165 F. Supp. 3d 1153 (M.D. Florida, 2016)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
80 F. Supp. 3d 1297, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6720, 2015 WL 263445, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wendel-v-florida-department-of-highway-safety-motor-vehicles-flmd-2015.