Man arrested after handing out anti-vax pamphlets suing Erie County

SANDUSKY — A Port Clinton man filed a lawsuit in federal court alleging Erie County officials violated his constitutional rights. John Swigart filed the suit in U.S. District Court for the Northern Ohio district. He alleges that while distributing literature warning about "the dangers" of COVID-19 vaccines near the Erie County Health Department on Jan. 11, he was asked to leave and then arrested for disorderly conduct. The suit — which names Erie County, Erie County sheriff's Deputy Michael Kennedy and Erie County health commissioner Pete Schade as defendants — states that Swigart was standing within the island of a roundabout. He claims that he only gave literature to people who stopped their cars and rolled down their windows. He denies obstructing traffic or even entering the road. Body camera footage Footage from Kennedy's body-worn camera appears to show Swigart in the middle of the road. When Kennedy confronts Swigart about this, Swigart can be heard saying that he is not in the road and that it's just the deputy's opinion, according to the footage. Swigart also points out that Schade is standing in the road. He shouts this several times while using his cane to point toward Schade. Because he had already been warned to stay out of the road and was in the road again, Kennedy told Swigart he needed to leave. Swigart did eventually walk toward his car but continued to argue with the deputy and refused to identify himself. He demanded Kennedy call Sandusky police and said Kennedy was "ignorant" and called him a "meatball." Approximately 15 minutes into the deputy's second interaction with Swigart, Kennedy attempts to place him under arrest. Swigart appears to tense up. Swigart can be heard complaining of a broken collarbone, broken ankle and a broken hip while deputies are patting him down. Swigart was charged with disorderly conduct, which is a minor misdemeanor. The charge was dismissed by prosecutors in March.