Joliet Police 'Acted With Blatant Disregard For The Facts': Lawsuit

JOLIET — A 36-year-old woman who moved to the small town of Carbon Hill recently filed a civil lawsuit in Will County against the Joliet Police Department seeking $700,000 in damages for emotional distress and mental anguish, pertaining to her arrest last July.

So far, attorneys for the city of Joliet's Legal Department have not filed an appearance or responded to the allegations raised in plaintiff Kristen Drysch's lawsuit, which she filed as a self-represented litigant, her Will County Courthouse files show.

Drysch was incarcerated at the Will County Jail from July 23-25, 2024, after Joliet police arrested her on charges of domestic battery. The criminal complaint submitted by Joliet police officer Jose Tellez accused Drysch of having grabbed a woman about the body on July 23.

In February, on the verge of her jury trial, the Will County State's Attorney informed the judge that they were dismissing their criminal charge against Drysch.

In March, Drysch, without the help of a lawyer, filed her civil lawsuit against the Joliet Police Department. She has asked Will County's judicial system to award her $500,000 in compensatory damages and $200,000 in punitive damages and also "award attorney's fees and costs" even though Drysch filed the lawsuit herself.

According to Drysch's lawsuit, on July 23, 2024, Drysch was staying at a friend's house for the summer and residency was already established when one of the occupants of the house asked everyone to leave.

Drysch noted that she found an apartment and "while searching for a residence another occupant of the house, intoxicated, started an argument with the plaintiff, who was avoiding conflict staying at another room. The belligerent party started recording on her phone and the plaintiff asked her to leave the room. The intoxicated party then started yelling louder at the plaintiff telling her, 'she didn't have to do shit.' The plaintiff stood up to defend her space ... the intoxicated party began walking backwards out of the room and as a reflex hit the plaintiff mouth with her phone, to which the plaintiff swatted at the intoxicated party, sending her fleeing from the room," Drysch explained in her lawsuit.

"When the police arrived, they went to the garage to get the intoxicated party's statement. Officer Acosta entered the residence to get the plaintiff's account of the events ... Even after hearing the intoxicated party hit the plaintiff first, he still informed the plaintiff she needed to change her clothes because she was going to county. There is a prior arrest history between the arresting officer and the plaintiff where the plaintiff called the police and they arrested her, but the case got dismissed."

Drysch's pro se lawsuit against the Joliet police seeking $700,000 claims she was the victim of unlawful restraint, false arrest and retaliation and ignorance of situational facts.

"Plaintiff was unjustly held in Will County Jail for two nights during the week," Drysch wrote in her lawsuit. "Officers of the Joliet Police Department exhibited blatant ignorance of the facts surrounding the situation, failing to consider evidence that would have led to a different outcome. The arrest and subsequent actions were performed in retaliation for a prior arrest where the plaintiff called the police because she was the only occupant in a restaurant during a snowstorm and they arrested her because she started to panic. The case was dismissed and the judge apologized to the plaintiff for any inconveniences."

According to her March lawsuit, Drysch claimed she was forced to withdraw from school as a result of her July 2024 arrest and "forced to stay at Harrah's Casino in Joliet using accumulated room vouchers and Red Roof Inn and Motel 6 on the weekends while searching for stable housing."

Drysch pointed out "the stressful circumstances surrounding this situation prevented the plaintiff from visiting her boyfriend at Sheridan Correctional Center in Sheridan, Illinois. The pending case made her ineligible to visit him because of IDOC policy. This separation caused additional emotional pain, as maintaining this relationship was vital to her emotional support system."

Besides asking a Will County court to award her $500,000 in damages and $200,000 in punitive damages, the Carbon Hill resident wants "a written public apology and whatever damages the court sees fit ... The plaintiff seeks a fair and just compensation for the extensive pain, suffering and disruptions to her life caused by the Defendant's actions," Drysch declared in her lawsuit.