Ligonier Township man’s lawsuit claims injuries caused by public works employee

Rich Cholodofsky | Wednesday, June 21, 2023 5:38 p.m.

Metro Creative

generic courtroom photo

A Ligonier Township resident is suing the township and a public works employee, claiming he was attacked in front of his home last year.

Mark Leonard claims that at 11:20 a.m. on April 20, 2022, he heard rocks and debris strike the outside of his Kissell Springs Road home and when he approached the driver of a John Deere tractor, he was greeted with obscenities and threats.

According to the five-count lawsuit, Leonard claims the tractor driver, who works on the Ligonier Township road crew, increased the vehicle’s speed and drove into him on the road, causing him to fall backward. Leonard says he sustained an abdominal wall contusion, cervical sprain, tension headaches, tinnitus, muffled hearing in the left ear and bruises, contusions and additional injuries to muscles, bones and other parts of his body, according to the lawsuit.

Leonard’s lawsuit estimates property damages at more than $4,700. He is seeking additional compensatory and punitive damages.

The lawsuit names both Ligonier Township and the public works employee, Timothy Leonard, as defendants. It alleges the township was negligent in its oversight of Timothy Leonard and says it is responsible for property damage.

Township manager Mike Strelic said Timothy Leonard and Mark Leonard are not related. Timothy Leonard remains on the job with the public works department and was not disciplined as a result of the allegations, Strelic said.

“I am comfortable we will prevail in court if it gets that far,” Strelic said.

Timothy Leonard referred questions about the lawsuit to the township.

“I’m not saying anything other than I am innocent,” Timothy Leonard said.

The lawsuit claims Timothy Leonard was charged with a summary count of disorderly conduct in connection with the incident, but there is no public record of a court filing or case disposition.