Driver says he was unfairly targeted by Walpole police

WALPOLE, Mass. — A local man is suing the Walpole Police Department, claiming he was illegally stopped and frisked.

John-Paul Wahnon told FOX25 that he had simple agenda on Aug. 13. He was going to make a quick stop at Kohl's in the Walpole Mall, and then head to his mother's home in Westwood. Following his GPS, he said he took the back roads through town.

"Right after I pull out of the Kohl's parking lot, less than 10 seconds later I notice the cop behind me," Wahnon told FOX25.

The 37-year old-said the Walpole police cruiser followed his Prius for 15-minutes before stopping him right before the Westwood town line.

"I was stopped. I was asked to leave my car. I was frisked. And after that he started going through my car," he told FOX25.

Wahnon says he asked why he was pulled over, and the officer and his partner allegedly refused to give him a specific reason then asked if he had guns in the car.

According to the complaint filed by the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice,  "one of the officers then approach the vehicle door, reference(d) the color of Mr. Wahnon's skin, and stated that the stop was not discriminatory."

Wahnon was also allegedly told, "We deal with a lot of really bad people. I don't have a chance to explain things before I do them."

"Even being told I think by the officer that you're a good guy. You've cooperated. And then to say this isn't about race when' then what else should I think?" he told FOX25.

"For a police officer to stop a motor vehicle they have to have reasonable suspicion," Walpole Police Chief John Carmichael told FOX25.

Carmichael told FOX25 he has opened an internal investigation.

"We are a very community oriented police department our officers are very well trained…police officer involved is one of our best officers that we have on the department," he told FOX25.

Carmichael says they have a thorough process to investigate these claims.

Both sides have asked for further evidence in the case from one another including cell phone video and GPS records.

Cox Media Group