The wife of an Ooltewah man has filed a lawsuit against Sullivan County and 11 members of its Sheriff’s Office, alleging law enforcement was responsible for verbal taunts, psychological abuse and excessive force that ultimately resulted in his death.
Mathew Stoddard died July 13, 2024, about seven weeks after a deputy placed his knee on Stoddard’s upper back and caused an anoxic brain injury, the Tuesday federal complaint filed by his wife, Carlie Stoddard, said.
He allegedly had no criminal history and was in the midst of an apparent mental breakdown prior to and while in custody, according to the lawsuit.
Sullivan County Attorney Dan Street said by phone he had not seen the lawsuit as of Wednesday morning, so he did not have any comment. The Sheriff’s Office has previously cited Stoddard’s “erratic and combative behavior” in explaining how deputies handled his situation.