In a striking legal battle, a resident of Montgomery County, Texas, has taken action against local law enforcement for what he claims was an unjustified and violent encounter during a routine traffic stop. Michael J. Taylor filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas on November 27, 2025, targeting Officer C. Wood, Officer Hernandez, Officer Patton, Montgomery County itself, and Sheriff Wesley Doolittle.
The lawsuit arises from an incident on November 27, 2023, when Taylor was stopped by Officer Wood for allegedly having a defective license plate light. The situation quickly escalated as Officer Wood refused to communicate clearly with Taylor or provide the reason for the stop. Despite Taylor’s requests for a supervisor and attempts to de-escalate the situation through his open driver-side window (the passenger window being inoperable), Officer Wood summoned Officers Hernandez and Patton. The officers approached with a riot shield and forcibly removed Taylor from his vehicle without warning or lawful instruction.
Taylor alleges that excessive force was used during this encounter, resulting in physical injuries including shoulder damage and wrist abrasions due to overly tight handcuffs. His phone and wallet were reportedly discarded “in the woods” by the officers. Furthermore, Taylor claims he was not informed of any charges until his court appearance where all charges were dismissed by the Montgomery County District Attorney in the interest of justice.
Taylor’s complaint accuses the defendants of violating his civil rights under 42 U.S.C. §1983 through unlawful seizure, false arrest, excessive force, malicious prosecution, and violations of his First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendment rights. He asserts that Montgomery County failed to properly train and supervise its deputies which contributed to this incident.
The plaintiff seeks various forms of relief including economic damages for property loss and non-economic damages for emotional distress. He also demands punitive damages against the individual officers involved as well as declaratory and injunctive relief to prevent future occurrences of similar incidents. Additionally, Taylor is pursuing attorneys’ fees under 42 U.S.C. §1988.
Representing Michael J. Taylor is attorney Courtney A. Vincent from Vincent Law PLLC based in Houston, Texas. The case is being overseen by judges at the Southern District Court under Case ID: 4:25-cv-05728.
Source: 425cv05728_Michael_Taylor_v_Officer_Wood_Complaint_Southern_District_of_Texas.pdf
