INDIANAPOLIS (AP)
— An Indiana State Police trooper faces a second lawsuit accusing him of
preaching his faith to citizens while on duty.
Wendy Pyle filed
a federal lawsuit Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Indianapolis against
trooper Brian Hamilton, who works out of the Pendleton post, claiming he
violated her civil rights. She's being represented by the American Civil
Liberties Union of Indiana.
The case stems
from a January traffic stop in which Hamilton gave Pyle a warning ticket
for speeding, The Herald Bulletin reported.
During the
traffic stop, Hamilton asked Pyle what church she attended and whether she
was saved, according to the lawsuit.
"In order to
hopefully end these inquiries, Ms. Pyle indicated that she did attend a
church and that she was saved," the lawsuit states.
Hamilton then
invited Pyle to his church, Pyle alleges.
Pyle, who lives
in Fayette County, filed a formal complaint with Indiana State Police and
was later told that Hamilton had placed her on a prayer list at his
church, her lawsuit says.
Pyle claims
Hamilton's preaching was upsetting and unreasonably prolonged the traffic
stop.
In 2014, Hamilton
was sued over a similar traffic stop in which driver Ellen Bogan of
Huntington accused him of violating her constitutional rights.
Bogan alleged
that Hamilton asked her several times about her religious beliefs and that
she didn't feel she could leave or refuse to answer with his squad car
parked behind her car. She claimed that Hamilton gave her a pamphlet from
First Baptist Church in Cambridge City, which asks readers to acknowledge
being a sinner, and advertised a radio broadcast titled "Policing for
Jesus Ministries."
A settlement in
that case involved Hamilton receiving employee counseling behavior that
discouraged proselytizing behavior, according to Pyle's lawsuit.