Georgia Detainee’s ‘Hot Car’ Suit Against Cop Partially Revived

A Georgia detainee who alleged his Fourteenth Amendment rights were violated when he was kept in a hot transport van saw his suit partially revived when the Eleventh Circuit ruled a lower court had prematurely dismissed several of his claims.

Nilesh Patel said he was diagnosed with heat exhaustion and had a panic attack following his transport to the sheriff’s office in Lanier County to sign release documents in 2016. According to Patel, Deputy James Smith left him in a hot, unventilated van for two hours and failed to provide water or medical assistance after finding Patel unconscious.

Patel sued ...