Prince George, B.C. – A First Nations woman from Williams Lake has filed a civil lawsuit against three members of the Williams Lake detachment and the City of Williams Lake for battery and wrongful arrest.

Jamie Haller served the lawsuit today in the Supreme Court of British Columbia following her 2011 beating at the hands of police when she was 17 years old.

Haller alleges that she was running from a gang and calling for assistance when she was arrested, placed in the back of a police car, and was then punched in the face by a member of the RCMP after protesting against her arrest.

She was released the next day without charge and without receiving any medical attention.

Her injuries included severe bruising, blurred vision, and psychological distress. She alleges she was unable to work due to her injuries and had to take a week off school.

Constable Any Yung was acquitted of criminal charges connected with his punching of Haller though civil liability can still be determined by the courts.

The City of Williams Lake is named in the lawsuit because, through its agreement with the RCMP, it is responsible for torts committed by the RCMP-employed police officers in the city.