News Summary

Springfield, Ohio — A Springfield man who was left paralyzed by a fall down an elevator shaft in the Clark County Jail filed a lawsuit in federal court Monday, Sept. 8.

Thomas Peck, 33, fell 30 feet down an elevator shaft May 23 after an alleged struggle with deputies.

Peck claims deputies threw him into a set of closed elevator doors after one deputy said, "(Let's) open it with his face," according to court documents.

Peck's attorney, Dale Perdue, said the cause of his client's fall is twofold.

"The actions of the deputies and the failure of the maintenance company to properly maintain the door," he said.

Clark County Sheriff Gene Kelly, two deputies and Elevator Services of Kettering are named as the defendants in the complaint that asked for more than $25,000 in damages.

"Although the accident was unfortunate, investigation into the incident has revealed that the Clark County Sheriff's Office did nothing wrong in its handling of Mr. Peck," Kelly said Tuesday in a written statement,"

Deputies claim the incident happened after Peck became upset about a meal tray, according to a sheriff's report.

Peck threatened to stab deputies with a pencil and was pepper-sprayed and handcuffed, according to the report.

Attorneys for the defendants could be reached for comment Tuesday.