By By Adam Prestridge
An Atmore man shot by an Escambia County sheriff's deputy filed a $10 million lawsuit last week claiming his state and federal constitutional rights were violated.
Escambia County transportation officer Jimmy Payne shot DayShawn Dixon, 21, in the neck on June 12, while attempting to serve an order to commit Dixon's brother, 19-year-old Derrick Dixon. Payne is now facing a lawsuit along with fellow sheriff's deputy Bruce Shue, Escambia County sheriff Grover Smith and Attorney General Troy King.
According to a notice of claim prepared by Daniel M. Soloway of Soloway Law Firm in Pensacola and later served upon the four parties named in the claim, DayShawn Dixon &#8220intends to bring his claim for serious injury that resulted form the negligent or alternatively intentional, willful and wanton conduct on the part of the Escambia County Sheriff's Office, its agents, employees and assigns.”
The claim continues by stating that Dixon's Alabama state law and state and federal constitutional rights were violated &#8220specifically” by the Escambia County Sheriff's Office, its agents, employees and assigns.
DayShawn Dixon was injured during the shooting and was transported to Atmore Community Hospital. LifeFlight later transported him to Baptist Hospital in Pensacola, where he recovered.
A few days following the shooting, Smith described what his deputies said occurred. He said deputy Shue and Payne went to the Dixon home located on Fourth Street to serve a civil court order that had been signed in Escambia County Probate Court by the man's mother. Smith said DayShawn Dixon became involved in the altercation and threatened officers with a screwdriver. Officers ordered Dixon to stand down, but he refused. That's when Payne shot the oldest brother.
The claim states that the &#8220Escambia County Sheriff's Office, its agents, employees and assigns intentionally and unlawfully fabricated a report that DayShawn Dante Dixon had a ‘weapon' (screwdriver) and that DayShawn Dante Dixon ignored commands to drop said weapon, and otherwise allegedly committed or attempted to commit an assault upon officers employed by said office.”
The claim also states that the shooting caused &#8220serious and permanent injury to DayShawn Dante Dixon requiring hospitalization, surgical intervention and other substantial medical care.”
Calls to attorney Soloway and Sheriff Grover Smith were not returned before press time.