Settlement reached in case where officer punched man

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The city of Chattanooga has reached a settlement in a federal lawsuit over an incident in which a police officer punched and cursed a man during a traffic stop.

The Times Free Press reports the $24,000 settlement came last month. In June, U.S. District Court Judge Harry “Sandy” Mattice had ordered attorneys for the city, the officer and the motorist to mediate in good faith.

Body cam and dash cam footage showed an officer identified as Benjamin Piazza cursing and striking Fredrico Wolfe with his fist several times in March 2018.

Piazza says in an affidavit he had stopped Wolfe and ordered him out of the vehicle after seeing Wolfe throw two baggies out of the window.

Wolfe and his attorney, Robin Flores, alleged that Piazza used excessive force