The Gloucester County man claims he was a "business invitee" at the flea market.
BERLIN -- A Gloucester County man claims that in 2014, while selling puppies at the Berlin Farmers Market, he was assaulted by two borough police officers and hospitalized as a result.
James Ditullio, of West Deptford, alleges in a lawsuit filed in federal court in Camden on Tuesday that he and his girlfriend were "business invitees" at the flea market on the afternoon of May 18, 2014.
At that time, Ditullio was approached by two borough officers who "without any reasonable justification poked him in the chest and told him to leave," the suit reads.
It goes on to claim Ditullio proceeded to turn around to leave when he was allegedly pushed to the pavement and punched in the face with a "closed fist," sat on, maced and handcuffed.
The lawsuit names the borough, Ptl. Ryan Heron and a second unidentified officer as defendants.
It's not clear if the altercation occurred inside the decades-old market or at the outdoor flea market. Ditullio's Philadelphia-based attorney Thomas Bruno II did not immediately respond to a request for comment left Thursday morning.
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Berlin borough's administrator said Thursday that she had not yet received the lawsuit.
Ditullio was transported to a hospital in Woodbury as a result of the incident and later released, per the lawsuit, which claims the man was stopped without reason and arrested without probable cause -- depriving him of his Fourth Amendment rights.
The suit claims Ditullio suffered a number of strains and sprains and had to pay for his hospital treatment and the effects of the incident "for an indefinite period of time in the future, to his great detriment and loss."
The suit seeks compensatory and punitive damages in excess of $150,000.
Greg Adomaitis may be reached at gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregAdomaitis. Find NJ.com on Facebook.