A Michigan resident has filed a lawsuit against a local police officer and the city he works for, alleging retaliation and violation of constitutional rights. Todd Ponagai, through his legal representation at Oliver Bell Group, filed the complaint on November 19, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan against Dan Richardson and the City of Warren.
The case stems from an incident on May 28, 2024, when Officer Dan Richardson was issuing a parking ticket in a shopping plaza in Warren, Michigan. As he did so, Todd Ponagai drove by and expressed his disdain for law enforcement with an expletive-laden remark. This interaction led to a series of events that Ponagai claims were retaliatory actions by Richardson. According to the complaint, after Ponagai parked his car to go shopping, Richardson approached him and questioned whether he should issue him a ticket as well. The situation escalated when Richardson accused Ponagai of improperly displaying his license plate—a claim Ponagai disputes.
Ponagai argues that Richardson’s actions were driven by animosity towards his exercise of free speech rather than any legitimate infraction. Despite checking his license plate and confirming its proper display, Ponagai alleges that Richardson continued to threaten towing his vehicle or issuing a citation without just cause. Eventually, after further exchanges between the two men, Richardson issued a ticket for improper display of the license plate and initiated a traffic stop demanding identification under threat of arrest.
The lawsuit accuses Officer Richardson of violating Ponagai’s First Amendment rights by retaliating against him for his speech. Furthermore, it alleges systemic issues within the City of Warren’s Police Department that foster an environment where officers feel emboldened to act without fear of discipline due to inadequate oversight and policies allowing disciplinary records to be expunged.
Ponagai is seeking several forms of relief from the court: nominal damages recognizing the violation of rights; compensatory damages for emotional distress and costs incurred; punitive damages aimed at deterring similar conduct; as well as attorneys’ fees and any other relief deemed appropriate by the court.
Representing Todd Ponagai is attorney Paul Matouka from Oliver Bell Group. The case is being presided over in the Eastern District Court under Case ID 2:25-cv-13694-FKB-KGA.
Source: 225cv13694_Todd_Ponagai_v_Dan_Richardson_Complaint_Eastern_District_of_Michigan.pdf
