Newton Falls Police Chief Gene Fixler has filed a lawsuit accusing the village of malicious prosecution.

According to the suit, which was filed in August, Chief Fixler is suing the village following his termination and charges of dereliction of duty being filed against him in 2022.

That charge stemmed from a traffic stop in 2020 when Fixler and one other officer encountered a possibly impaired driver and the two let the driver go. Less than 10 minutes later, that same driver was involved in a fatal car accident.

In 2023, Fixler sued the village for wrongful termination and won causing that charge to be dropped.

However, this new suit states that Fixler's termination and the previously-filed charge has caused irreparable damage to his reputation, as well as financial injury, mental anguish and other things.

Now, Fixler is seeking $5 million in damages plus interest, attorney and legal fees and punitive damages from the village and Pamela Priddy, who was village manager at the time of his termination and prosecution.

Fixler was rehired by the village in August of 2024 and he's now looking to restore the Newton Falls Police Department after a failed levy caused it to dissolve in 2022. The village has since been served by the Trumbull County Sheriff's Office.

You can read much more about Fixler's rehiring and the former allegations against him in our related coverage below.

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