A U.S. citizen is taking a stand against what she describes as an egregious violation of her civil rights, bringing attention to the practices of a local police department. Tatyana Lavrenchuk filed a complaint on November 13, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio against the City of Independence, Ohio, its Police Department, and three individual officers: Officer K. Fuka, Officer March, and Sergeant K. Repicky.
The case centers around an incident that occurred on November 20, 2023, when Lavrenchuk was staying at the Red Roof Inn in Independence, Ohio. According to her complaint, she was unlawfully arrested and removed from her hotel room without probable cause or a valid criminal complaint. Lavrenchuk claims that after experiencing issues such as lack of hot water and noise disturbances during her stay, she attempted to resolve these by contacting the hotel management and later filing a complaint with Red Roof Inn corporate offices. This led to an altercation where she was abruptly asked to vacate her room by Muhammad Yaseen, a hotel employee who then called the police after Lavrenchuk made an obscene gesture out of frustration.
Lavrenchuk alleges that upon arrival, police officers escalated the situation unnecessarily despite her cooperation. She asserts that no formal complaint or probable cause existed at the time of her arrest as evidenced by body camera footage showing officers obtaining an incomplete and unsigned complaint form from Yaseen only after detaining her. Furthermore, she was transported to jail under false pretenses and later transferred to a medical facility despite no evidence of suicidal intent—a move she describes as punitive and humiliating.
In addition to this incident in Independence, Lavrenchuk’s complaint outlines a troubling pattern of similar unlawful arrests in other jurisdictions—specifically Parma, Ohio and Fort Myers, Florida—which she believes are orchestrated by a private individual with significant influence over local authorities.
Lavrenchuk is seeking compensatory and punitive damages for violations of her Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights due to unlawful arrest without probable cause or legal justification. She also seeks attorney’s fees under 42 U.S.C. § 1988 along with other relief deemed appropriate by the court including access to all public records related to her arrest which have been allegedly suppressed.
Representing herself pro se from Switzerland due to safety concerns stemming from these incidents in multiple jurisdictions across state lines highlights both personal resilience and determination for justice amidst alleged systemic failures within law enforcement agencies.
The case is presided over by Judge Gaughan with Magistrate Judge Shepherd assisting in proceedings under Case ID: 1:25-cv-02462-PAG.
Source: 125cv02462_Lavrenchuk_v_City_of_Independence_Ohio_Complaint_Northern_District_Ohio.pdf
