CLEARWATER - A former Pinellas County Jail inmate who suffered a seizure and struck his head while in custody is suing the Sheriff's Office because he says deputies failed to take him to the emergency room.
Robert M. Bradley, 47, said in a lawsuit filed in Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Court that deputies, knowing he would soon be released, decided against transporting him to the emergency room to save ambulance costs.
Upon his release on Oct. 4, 1999, Bradley was taken to the hospital, where it was discovered that he had a serious head injury that included brain swelling, the suit says.
Bradley and his Tampa attorney, Luke Lirot, could not be reached for comment on the lawsuit, which was filed on Thursday. A spokeswoman for the Pinellas Sheriff's Office declined to comment on Monday.
Bradley was initially charged in August 1999 with possessing an open container of beer. He failed to appear in court as scheduled.
A month later, Bradley visited the hospital after becoming disorientated. The suit says he needed medical attention for detoxification for substance abuse problems.
Hospital personnel ran a background check on Bradley. After discovering he was wanted for failing to appear in court, deputies were called.
Bradley pleaded guilty to the open container charge and was sentenced to five days in jail and served his time in the infirmary. On Oct. 3, 1999, Bradley blacked out during a seizure, and hit his head on the jail floor, the suit says.
The suit seeks unspecified damages in excess of $15,000 for Bradley, who the suit says suffers from permanent brain injury.
