Ohio Sergeant Paul Stein Accused Of Kicking Black Driver During Altercation Outside Police Building

Jajuan Wyckoff, a Black man, says a routine drive along an Ohio interstate spiraled into a violent clash involving an off duty White police sergeant, a suburban law enforcement headquarters near Cleveland, and authorities he claims protected one of their own instead of examining what happened on the roadway.

Wyckoff filed suit after accusing Brooklyn Police Sergeant Paul Stein of striking his car and driving away before both men later came face to face near the entrance of the Brooklyn Police Department, according to NBC News. Surveillance recordings showed moments in which Stein appeared to shove and kick Wyckoff near the doorway.

Civil filings claim Stein left the roadway scene without stopping and later became physical during the dispute near headquarters. Wyckoff has also said he detected alcohol on Stein’s breath during the exchange, intensifying concerns surrounding the sergeant’s condition that evening.

Rather than examining whether Stein had been intoxicated or involved in leaving the roadway scene, several law enforcement members who emerged from headquarters allegedly mocked and threatened Wyckoff while the sergeant stayed inside. Lawyers representing Wyckoff argue the conduct reflected favoritism toward a colleague.

Stein had previously faced multiple complaints connected to force related conduct before the dispute involving Wyckoff. Since then, he has reportedly lost his job and faced arrest in another unrelated matter.

Recordings from the property quickly drew wider interest because they showed a civilian directly confronting a police sergeant at the entrance of a law enforcement headquarters rather than during a roadside stop. That backdrop intensified criticism surrounding how authorities addressed events after both men arrived at the property.

Wyckoff’s civil complaint accuses Stein and others connected to the agency of wrongdoing linked to the clash and actions that followed. Attorneys connected to the case argue the events revealed deep problems involving how police agencies examine complaints against their own personnel.

Brooklyn Police Department leaders have not publicly explained why Stein was not immediately examined for possible intoxication following the dispute. Unanswered issues also remain over why authorities allegedly directed their attention toward Wyckoff despite claims involving a fleeing motorist and physical contact visible on surveillance recordings.

Court proceedings connected to the complaint are expected to continue as attorneys seek records, recordings, and sworn testimony tied to the case. For Wyckoff, the fight now centers not only on the interstate crash itself but also on what unfolded after he followed the vehicle to the doors of a police headquarters demanding answers.