Family of man killed by Columbus police officer in August files federal lawsuit

The family of a man who was fatally shot by Columbus police officers in August has filed a federal civil lawsuit against the city Division of Police.

Attorneys for the estranged wife of Jamie Overstreet filed the lawsuit Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Columbus.

Overstreet, 36, died on Aug. 23 after being shot a single time while running away from officers . An autopsy report by the Franklin County Coroner's Office stated that the bullet struck Overstreet in the back. He also had cocaine and two times the legal amount of alcohol in his system at the time of his death, the report stated.

A firearm is seen on police body camera footage in the area where Overstreet is seen dropping an item after being shot.

On the night of Aug. 23, Worthington police received a phone call about Overstreet, who reportedly attempted to contact his estranged wife, who had a protection order against him. Overstreet had several warrants for his arrest pending for violating that protection order. All of those charges were misdemeanors, according to court records.

The lawsuit says Worthington police called Columbus police, who had jurisdiction over the woman's home. Columbus police officers spotted Overstreet driving in the area of the home and attempted to pull him over, but he fled.

Columbus police eventually broke off the pursuit, according to the police division's account of events and the lawsuit, and a police helicopter was later able to locate Overstreet's vehicle and follow it from the sky.

Officers ultimately caught up to Overstreet, who fled again, crashing his car in the area of Parsons Avenue and Corr Road before taking off on foot into the Marion Square Apartments.

The officers ran after Overstreet, according to body camera footage released by the Division of Police. Despite orders to stop and to freeze, Overstreet continued to run away, with his back to police.

The police body camera footage shows one of the two officers following Overstreet saying the fleeing suspect has a gun before the officer fires at least five rounds, one of which struck Overstreet.

Overstreet's estranged wife, who had the protection orders against him , has been named the executor of his estate and the lawsuit was filed on her behalf, according to court records.

"The alleged violation of a protection order, a misdemeanor, nor the mere possession of a firearm, did not lawfully justify the use of deadly force against Mr. Overstreet," the lawsuit says.

Overstreet was shot because of a pattern of policies that result in a "haphazard" decision-making process by officers that makes it more likely for officers to use deadly force, according to the lawsuit.

The officers involved in the shooting are listed in the lawsuit as John Doe. The Division of Police has not identified the officers publicly , citing the state's Marsy's Law which makes police officers crime victims whose identities can be withheld.

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is investigating the shooting, which is city policy on any shooting by a law enforcement officer in Columbus.

bbruner@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Family of man killed by Columbus police officer in August files federal lawsuit